The synthesis of nanosized aluminum particles by the levitation-in-flow method and an analysis of their particle size distribution

This study deals with the levitation-in-flow method for synthesizing ultrafine nanosized metal powders. The dependence of the average size of particles on the pressure of the medium is determined from a refined mathematical model describing the formation of metal particles during the homogeneous condensation of the metal vapor in a temperature boundary layer at an evaporating metal droplet blown around by an inert gas. Using aluminum as an example, theoretical curves of the particle size distribution are compared with experimental histograms. The theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement.