Precursors of engineered powders

• US 20020178865A1
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: NanoProducts Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Mardilovich, Elena, Yadav, Tapesh
• Granted Patent: US 6,719,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 75/330
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0006 Controlling or regulating processes controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0013 Controlling the temperature of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/04 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00063 of the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00094 Jackets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00168 controlling the viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00177 controlling the pH
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/10 of rare earths
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/0013 Colloids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/23 in a colloidal state
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/033 Using Hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/02 for feeding measured , i.e. prescribed quantities of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/36 by precipitation reactions in aqueous solutions C01B13/328 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/218 Yttrium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/235 Cerium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/34 Preparation of aluminium hydroxide by precipitation from solutions containing aluminium salts
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/62 Submicrometer sized, i.e. from 0.1-1 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/64 Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/13 : thermal stability thereof at high temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/61 : inorganic

Abstract

The production and selection of precursor mixtures used to produce fine powders and methods for making fine powders using the selected precursor. The precursor mixture comprises at least one metal containing precursor, the metal containing precursor has an average molecular weight of less than 2000 grams per unit mol of the metal, the metal containing precursor has a normal boiling point greater than 350K, and the viscosity of the precursor mixture is between 0.1 to 250 cP. The precursor mixture is processed under conditions that produce a fine powder from the precursor mixture. Fine powders produced are of size less than 100 microns, preferably less than 10 micron, more preferably less than 1 micron, and most preferably less than 100 nanometers.

Claims

1. A method for making fine powder comprising:

selecting a precursor mixture wherein;

the mixture comprises at least one metal containing precursor;

the metal containing precursor has an average molecular weight of less than 2000 grams per unit mol of the metal,

the metal containing precursor has a normal boiling point greater than 350K, and

a viscosity of the precursor mixture is between 0.1 to 250 cP; and

processing the precursor mixture under conditions that produce the fine powder from the precursor mixture.

2. The method of claim 1 a metal content in the precursor mixture is greater than 22% by weight.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of processing the precursor mixture comprises reacting the precursor mixture with oxygen.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein heat released during the precursor mixture'"'"'s reaction with oxygen is on average greater than 1 kJ per liter of precursor mixture.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor mixture is stable for at least 5 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor mixture comprises at least two metal containing precursors.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor mixture comprises water.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor mixture comprises a hydrocarbon.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the fine powder produced is a nanoscale powder.

10. An electrical device comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

11. An energy device comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

12. A coating comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

13. An abrasive comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

14. A health care product comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

15. A catalyst comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

16. An electronic device comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

17. A magnetic device comprising the fine powder prepared using the method of claim 9.

18. A mixture for production of fine powders, the mixture comprising:

at least one metal containing precursor, wherein metal containing precursor has an average molecular weight of less than 2000 grams per unit mol of the metal and the metal containing precursor has a normal boiling point greater than 350K; and

a viscosity of the precursor mixture is between 0.1 to 250 cP.

19. A method of selecting a precursor mixture suitable as a precursor for producing fine powders, the method comprising:

identifying mixtures that comprises at least one containing precursor, wherein the metal containing precursor has an average molecular weight of less than 2000 grams per unit mol of the metal and the metal containing precursor has a normal boiling point greater than 350K; and

selecting from the identified mixtures a precursor mixture having a viscosity between 0.1 to 250 cP.