Plasma-induced cathodic discharge electrolysis to form various metal/alloy nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of various elements such as Si, Al, and Zr were formed by plasma-induced cathodic discharge electrolysis in molten chloride electrolyte under a 1 atm Ar atmosphere. Al and Si nanoparticles with 100 nm diameters were obtained from an LiCl-KCl-CsCl melt at 300°C. Zr nanoparticles with diameters less than 50 nm were obtained from an LiCl-KCl at 450°C. Then with a newly designed and constructed “rotating disk anode type electrolytic cell”, Ti nanoparticles with diameters less than 20 nm were obtained. Finally, to find more appropriate condition for obtaining finer and more uniform nanoparticles, the effects of the pulse conditions of the applied current and the rotating velocity of a disk anode on size and morphology among the obtained nanoparticles were investigated by choosing Ni nanoparticle formation as an example. The results showed that quick removal of the formed fine nanoparticles from the melt surface, where the discharge column is standing, is the most important factor to obtain smaller and more uniform nanoparticles.