Two different modes of wire explosion for nano-powder production

Abstract

Based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we report on the first observation of two different modes of wire explosion for nanosized powder production in 5-30 kPa ambient gas, depending on the property of wire material. For wire material with relatively high resistivity, such as titanium, more than one vapor burst was observed. While for wire material with relatively low resistivity, such as copper, the whole wire would explode totally within one single vapor burst.

Metal vapor content of an electric arc initiated by exploding wire in a model N2 circuit breaker: simulation and experiment

“…Figure 21 depicts the measured values of V, P (voltage multiplied by current), and R (voltage divided by current) for 20 µm EEW with a sampling rate of 1.25 Msamples per second, 40 µm and 100 µm EEW with a sampling rate of 500 Msamples per second in the logarithmic scale. In contrast to the well-known pulse with dwell (current pause), a single electrical pulse is produced [48], which is usual for relatively low resistive metals like copper [49] although it is also possible to have a current pause with 25 µm EEW, (for instance see figure 4 in [50]). The heating process changes to an explosion after 76, 116, and 529 µs from the current injection corresponding to 25, 40, and 100 µm, respectively, which results in the change of the voltage slope.…”

Vaporizing foil actuator welding as a competing technology to magnetic pulse welding

“…The effects of electrically driven rapidly vaporizing foils (or wires), also referred to as electrical explosion of conductors, have been the subject of several studies over the past decades (Chace and Levin, 1960). Exemplary works include the production of nano-sized powders (Zou et al, 2012a) or the shaping of high current pulses (Bealing and Carpenter, 1972). Other common applications deal with shock wave studies (Weingart et al, 1976).…”

Nanopowder production by gas-embedded electrical explosion of wire

“…[8][9][10][11] Studies have shown that the synthesized particle size is strongly dependent on experimental conditions, such as the pressure of ambient gas, the overheat coefficient k, etc. [12][13][14] k is defined as the ratio of deposition energy…”