Plasma Synthesis of Ceramics: Studies in Particle Nucleation and Growth

本项目是对热等离子体反应器中微粉成核和生长的实验和模拟相结合的研究。模拟将包括反应器化学、凝结颗粒生长、凝聚颗粒生长和反应器不均匀等现象。它应该会产生一个计算机代码，将射频等离子体反应堆中的热工水力与这些气溶胶过程相结合。该模型将由一个实验程序指导和测试，在该实验程序中，测量了几种技术重要性的颗粒的尺寸分布，作为流速、浓度和功率输入的函数。热等离子体反应器是生产陶瓷、金属合金和高温超导体用微粉的极具吸引力的候选对象。这项研究应该有助于设计这样的反应器来控制颗粒的大小、组成和形态。

This project is a combined experimental and modelling study of nucleation and growth of fine powders in thermal plasma reactors. The modelling will include such phenomena as reactor chemistry, particle growth by condensation, particle growth by coagulation, and reactor nonuniformities. It should result in a computer code coupling the thermal hydraulics in a RF plasma reactor to these aerosol processes. The model will be guided and tested by an experimental program in which size distributions of the particles are measured for several species of technical importance as functions of flow rate, concentration, and power input. Thermal plasma reactors are attractive candidates for the production of fine powders to be used in ceramics, metallic alloys, and high temperature superconductors. This research should help design such reactors to control particle size, composition, and morphology.