Carnegie Mellon University

Stuart Staley

Michael McHenry

Sara A Majetich

Joseph Artman

A metal or alloy nanoparticle is provided which exhibits hysteresis at room temperature having a carbon coating. The nanoparticle has a diameter in the range of approximately 0.5 to 50 nm, and may be crystalline or amorphous. The metal, alloy, or metal carbide nanoparticle is formed by preparing graphite rods which are packed with the magnetic metal or alloy or an oxide of the metal or alloy. The packed graphite rods are subjected to a carbon arc discharge to produce soot containing metal, alloy, or metal carbide nanoparticles and non-magnetic species. The soot is subsequently subjected to a magnetic field gradient to separate the metal, alloy, or metal carbide nanoparticles from the non-magnetic species.

Process for forming nanoparticles

A magnetic metal or metal carbide nanoparticle is provided having a carbon coating. The nanoparticle has a diameter in the range of approximately 5 to 60 nm, and may be crystalline or amorphous. The magnetic metal or metal carbide nanoparticle is formed by preparing graphite rods which are packed with a magnetic metal oxide. The packed graphite rods are subjected to a carbon arc discharge to produce soot containing magnetic metal or metal carbide nanoparticles and non-magnetic species. The soot is subsequently subjected to a magnetic field gradient to separate the magnetic metal or metal carbide nanoparticles from the non-magnetic species. Ferromagnetic or paramagnetic compounds are made by starting with graphite rods packed with the oxides of iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese bismuth, or a rare earth element excluding lanthanum, lutetium and promethium, or a paramagnetic transition metal.

Growing community of inventors

Hidden Valley, PA, United States of America

Stuart Staley