Plasma Processes, LLC

Scott O'Dell

Timothy N McKechnie

Chris A Power

Anatoliy Shchetkovskiy

Alexander Smirnov

Terry Tabor

Leo V M Antony

This invention provides an electrolyte salt for use in an electrodeposition process for depositing Zirconium metal on a thin foil substrate. The prior art electrochemical process causes a reaction between a uranium substrate and ZrFspecies in the electrolyte that causes the formation of UFat the substrate surface that prevents the formation of a dense uniform zirconium coating. This problem is solved by using an electrolyte salt in an electrodeposition process consisting of lithium fluoride (LiF) in a concentration ranging between about 11.5 molar percent and about 61 molar percent and one or more salts selected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride (NaF), potassium fluoride (KF), cesium fluoride (CsF), or cesium chloride (CsCL). Zirconium is added to the electrolyte salt through an addition of zirconium fluoride (ZrF) in the range of about 1 to about 5 mass percent (w/w %). The Zr coating is of at least 98% pure Zr with a density of at least 98%.

Zirconium coating of a substrate

Ultra fine and nanometer powders and a method of producing same are provided, preferably refractory metal and ceramic nanopowders. When certain precursors are injected into the plasma flame in a reactor chamber, the materials are heated, melted and vaporized and the chemical reaction is induced in the vapor phase. The vapor phase is quenched rapidly to solid phase to yield the ultra pure, ultra fine and nano product. With this technique, powders have been made 20 nanometers in size in a system capable of a bulk production rate of more than 10 lbs/hr. The process is particularly applicable to tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, tungsten carbide, molybdenum carbide and other related materials.

Nano powders, components and coatings by plasma technique

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Scott O'Dell