The wire electrical explosion (WEE) method is a promising approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles due to its ability to generate high temperature and cooling rate, which contributes to the formation of particles with unique properties. The combined electrical explosion of wires made of different metals allows obtaining multicomponent nanoparticles with controlled composition and structure. In this paper, the synthesis of AlCrFeCuNi nanoparticles by the combined WEE method is studied, which is a promising material for catalytic and magnetic applications.
The experimental setup for the joint EEP consisted of a capacitor bank, a high-voltage switch, and an explosion chamber. Wires made of Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, and Ni were arranged in parallel and connected to the capacitor bank. When the capacitor was discharged through the wires, they rapidly heated, evaporated, and exploded, resulting in the formation of plasma, in which nanoparticles were mixed and nucleated.
In this study, using the AlCrFeCuNi alloy as an example, the feasibility of creating multicomponent metallic nanoparticles by means of simultaneous electrical explosion of wires consisting of different metals or alloys was demonstrated for the first time. The study of the structural and phase composition of the obtained nanoparticles revealed that their sizes obey a lognormal distribution with an average value of about 40 nm. The nanocrystalline structure of these nanoparticles is characterized by the presence of two phases based on the bcc and fcc crystal lattices. Based on the obtained data, it is concluded that the method of joint electrical explosion of wires made of dissimilar metals and alloys is a promising approach to the synthesis of multicomponent metallic nanoparticles.
The results of the study showed that the method of joint EVP can produce multicomponent AlCrFeCuNi nanoparticles with sizes in the range from 10 to 100 nm. The composition of the nanoparticles is close to the specified ratio of metals in the original wires. Structural studies revealed the presence of both amorphous and crystalline phases in the nanoparticles. The magnetic properties of the obtained nanoparticles depend on their composition and structure, which opens up opportunities for their use in various magnetic devices.
Thus, the method of joint EVP is an effective way to synthesize multicomponent AlCrFeCuNi nanoparticles with controlled composition and structure, promising for application in various fields of science and technology.
Author: K. Suliz, A. Miller,K. Ivanov,A. Pervikov
Institute: Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS, Tomsk, Russia