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Development of a Dynamic Gas Condensation Technique for Commercial Production of Nanometer Metal Powders

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 37011
Amount: $69,106.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1997
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
117 Chapel Lane
Espanola, NM 87532
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Joe A. Martin, Ph.d.
 (505) 753-5499
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Scientific innovations are commercially worthless until they are matched by corresponding manufacturing innovations. This dilemma characterizes the current status of nanometer metal powder technology. On one hand, years of scientific research have unambiguously demonstrated the utility of nanoscale metal materials for a myriad of high technology applications; on the other hand, current manufacturing processes are ineffective at producing viable quantities of high-quality material at reasonable cost. New Mexico Nano-Energetics proposes that dynamic gas condensation processes constitute the missing enabling technology for large-scale commercial production of nanometer metal powders. Adaptation and refinement of gas condensation techniques should allow achievement of tunable and precise control of powder particle size and size distribution in the nanometer regime by controlling nucleation and growth of atomic clusters that form in metal vapor. This project will determine the feasibility of employing dynamic gas condensation to commercially produce large quantities of high purity nanometer metal powders at reasonable cost. In addition, feasibility determinations for powder passivation techniques and powder collection schemes for continuous or semi-continuous modes of operation are focal areas. Data obtained from laboratory-scale reactor experiments will be used to guide the design of a commercially viable production apparatus.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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