Application of Electromagnetic levitational Gas Condensation Method for the Synthesis of Aluminum Nanoparticles

In recent years, nanoparticles are experiencing a rapid development due to their existing and/or potential applications [1]. The fabrication technology of aluminum nanoparticles includes a wide range of vapor, liquid and solid state processing routes. Although the first successful experimental work for the electromagnetic levitation melting was performed by Okress et al. [1] in 1952, this process has recently been introduced as a promising method for the synthesis of nanoparticles [2-4]. Among all the other production methods of nanoparticles, this method can result in a much higher production rate and a lower level ofcontamination. Bigot and Champion reported the first attempts on using the electromagnetic levitation melting (named as cryogenic melting) for synthesis of some metal nanoparticles [2]. Recently, Rhee et al. have synthesized nanoparticles of some metals and alloys [3-4] using levitational gas condensation method. Due to the difficulty in the levitation melting of alloys, no extensive works have been reported so far on the use of this technology for different nanomaterials. In the present work, a novel electromagnetic levitational gas condensation (ELGC) system was designed andmanufactured for the synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles. Pure aluminum as the charge metal and argon gas as the condensation medium were used in the ELGC method. The best process parameters for the synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles were determined