System for continuous production of nanophase materials using a microwave-driven polyol process

Steven H Gold; Ralph W Bruce; Arne W Fliflet; David Lewis 3rd; Lynn K Kurihara; M A Imam

doi:10.1063/1.2435588

System for continuous production of nanophase materials using a microwave-driven polyol process

Rev Sci Instrum. 2007 Feb;78(2):023901. doi: 10.1063/1.2435588.

Authors

Steven H Gold¹, Ralph W Bruce, Arne W Fliflet, David Lewis 3rd, Lynn K Kurihara, M A Imam

Affiliation

¹ Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375, USA.

PMID: 17578117
DOI: 10.1063/1.2435588

Abstract

A prototype system is described for the large scale, continuous production of nanophase metals, metal oxides, and other nanophase materials using the polyol process. The polyol process employs an organic solvent such as ethylene glycol to reduce a metal oxide/metal salt at high temperature to the metal oxide or metal. The system employs a 6 kW, 2.45 GHz microwave source to rapidly heat the continuously flowing solution to a desired process temperature as it flows through a silica tube placed along the center line of a section of waveguide.