Method of manufacture of nanostructured feeds

Abstract

This invention relates to methods whereby reprocessed nanoparticle powder feeds, nanoparticle liquid suspensions, and metalorganic liquids are used in conventional thermal spray deposition for the fabrication of high-quality nanostructured coatings. In one embodiment of this invention, the nanostructured feeds consist of spherical agglomerates produced by reprocessing as-synthesized nanostructured powders. The method is applicable to as-synthesized nanostructured powders made by a variety of liquid chemical processing methods. In another embodiment of this invention, a fine dispersion of nanoparticles is directly injected into a combustion flame or plasma thermal spray device to form high-quality nanostructured coatings. In still another embodiment of this invention, liquid metalorganic chemical precursors are directly injected into the combustion flame of a plasma thermal spray device, whereby nanoparticle synthesis, nanoparticle melting, and nanoparticle quenching onto a substrate are performed in a single operation. In these various methods ultrasound is used for disintegration of the as-synthesized particle agglomerates, nanoparticle dispersion in liquid media, and liquid precursor atomization.