Exploding wire method: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:16, 2 September 2020

Revision as of 08:27, 5 September 2020

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== Mechanism ==

The basic components needed for the exploding wire method are a thin conductive wire and a capacitor. The wire is typically gold, aluminum, iron or platinum, and is usually less than 0.5&nbsp;mm in diameter. The capacitor has an energy consumption of about 25&nbsp;kWh/kg and discharges a pulse of [[current density]] 10⁴ - 10⁶ A/mm²,<ref name=prepnano>{{cite journal |last1=Kotov |first1=Yu |title=Electric explosion of wires as a method for preparation of nanopowders |journal=Journal of Nanoparticle Research |date=2003 |volume=5 |issue=5/6 |pages=539–550 |doi=10.1023/B:NANO.0000006069.45073.0b |bibcode=2003JNR.....5..539K |s2cid=135540834 |url=http://cms.springerprofessional.de/journals/JOU=11051/VOL=2003.5/ISU=5-6/ART=5140986/BodyRef/PDF/11051_2004_Article_5140986.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215001933/http://cms.springerprofessional.de/journals/JOU%3D11051/VOL%3D2003.5/ISU%3D5-6/ART%3D5140986/BodyRef/PDF/11051_2004_Article_5140986.pdf |archivedate=2014-12-15 }}</ref> leading to temperatures up to 100,000&nbsp;[[Kelvin|K]]. The phenomenon occurs over a time period of only 10⁻⁸ - 10⁻⁵ seconds.<ref name=naz>{{cite journal|last1=Nazatenko |first1=O |title=Nanopowders produced by electrical explosion of wires |journal=Dept. Of Exology Tomsk Polytechnic University |date=16 September 2007 |url=http://ecce6.kt.dtu.dk/cm/upload/769.pdf |accessdate=6 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129053237/http://ecce6.kt.dtu.dk/cm/upload/769.pdf |archivedate=29 November 2014 }}</ref>

The process is as follows:

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=== Light Source ===

EWM is an effective mechanism by which to get a short duration high intensity light source. The peak intensity for copper wire, for example, is 9.6&middot;10⁸ candle power/cm².<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Conn|first1=William|title=The Use of "Exploding Wires" as a Light Source of Very High Intensity and Short Duration|journal=Journal of the Optical Society of America|date=October 28, 1949|volume=41|issue=7|pages=445–9|url=http://www.opticsinfobase.org/view_article.cfm?gotourl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eopticsinfobase%2Eorg%2FDirectPDFAccess%2FC2AAEF95-F7D9-36C6-8FD97DC46DA8F1A9_50214%2Fjosa-41-7-445%2Epdf%3Fda%3D1%26id%3D50214%26seq%3D0%26mobile%3Dno&org=University%20of%20California%20Santa%20Barbara%20%28CDL%29|accessdate=30 October 2014|doi=10.1364/josa.41.000445|pmid=14851124}}</ref> J.A. Anderson wrote in his initial spectrography studies that the light was comparable to a black body at 20,000&nbsp;K.<ref name=anderson>{{cite journal|last1=Anderson|first1=J.A.|title=The Spectral Energy Distribution And Opacity Of Wire Explosion Vapors|journal=Mount Wilson Observatory, Carnegie Institution of Washington|date=May 22, 1922|volume=8|issue=7|pages=231–232|doi=10.1073/pnas.8.7.231|pmid=16586882|pmc=1085099|bibcode=1922PNAS....8..231A}}</ref> The advantage of a flash produced in this way is that it is easily reproducible with little variation in intensity. The linear nature of the wire allows for specifically shaped and angled light flashes and different types of wires can be used to produce different colors of light.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Oster|first1=Gisela K.|last2=Marcus|first2=R. A.|title=Exploding Wire as a Light Source in Flash Photolysis|journal=The Journal of Chemical Physics|date=1957|volume=27|issue=1|pages=189|doi=10.1063/1.1743665|bibcode = 1957JChPh..27..189O |url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/11419/1/OSTjcp57a.pdf}}</ref> The light source can be used in [[interferometry]], [[flash photolysis]], quantitative [[spectroscopy]], and [[high-speed photography]].

=== Production of Nanoparticles ===

Nanoparticles are created by EWM when the ambient gas of the system cools the recently produced vaporous metal.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mathur|first1=Sanjay|last2=Sing|first2=Mrityunjay|title=Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechology III|journal=Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings|date=2010|volume=30|issue=7|page=92|isbn=9780470584361|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9-OEIi0QIUEC&pg=PA90}}</ref> EWM can be used to cheaply and efficiently produce nanoparticles at a rate of 50 – 300 grams per hour and at a purity of above 99&nbsp;%.<ref name=naz/><ref name="prepnano"/> The process requires a relatively low energy consumption as little energy is lost in an electric to thermal energy conversion. Environmental effects are minimal due to the process taking place in a closed system. The Particles can be as small as 10&nbsp;nm but are most commonly below 100&nbsp;nm in diameter. Physical attributes of the nanopowder can be altered depending on the parameters of the explosion. For example, as the voltage of the capacitor is raised, the particle diameter decreases. Also, the pressure of the gas environment can change the dispersiveness of the nanoparticles.<ref name="naz"/> Through such manipulations the functionality of the nanopowder may be altered.

When EWM is performed in a standard atmosphere containing oxygen, metal oxides are formed. Pure metal nanoparticles can also be produced with EWM in an inert environment, usually argon gas or distilled water.<ref name=flur>{{cite journal|last1=Alqudami|first1=Abdullah|title=Fluorescence from metallic silver and iron nanoparticles prepared by exploding wire technique|journal=DPT. Of Physics and Astrophysics New Delhi|year=2006|pages=15|arxiv=cond-mat/0609369|url=https://arxiv.org/ftp/cond-mat/papers/0609/0609369.pdf|accessdate=2 November 2014|bibcode = 2006cond.mat..9369A }}</ref> Pure metal nanopowders must be kept in their inert environment because they ignite when exposed to oxygen in air.<ref name="prepnano"/> Often, the metal vapor is contained by operating the mechanism within a steel box or similar container.

Nanoparticles are a relatively new material used in medicine, manufacturing, environmental cleanup and circuitry. Metal oxide and pure metal nanoparticles are used in [[Catalysis]], sensors, oxygen antioxident, self repairing metal, ceramics, [[UV rays|UV ray]] protection, odor proofing, improved batteries, printable circuits, [[Optoelectronics|optoelectronic materials]], and [[Environmental remediation]].<ref name=Nanouses>{{cite web|last1=Boysen|first1=Earl|title=Nanoparticles Applications and Uses|url=http://www.understandingnano.com/nanoparticles.html|website=understandingnano|accessdate=2 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Oskam|first1=Gerko|title=Metal oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and application|journal=Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology|date=24 February 2006|volume=37|issue=3|pages=161–164|doi=10.1007/s10971-005-6621-2|s2cid=98446250}}</ref> The demand for metal nanoparticles, and therefore production methods, has increased as interest in nanotechnology continues to rise. Despite its overwhelming simplicity and efficiency, it is difficult to modify the experimental apparatus to be used on an industrial scale. As such, EWM has not seen widespread utilization in material production industry due to issues in manufacturing quantity.

== References ==