Nanoparticle manufacturing device and nanoparticle manufacturing method and method of manufacturing nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal

Abstract

A nanoparticle manufacturing device capable of particle size control of nanoparticles made of a raw material metal powder and control of the occurrence condition of chaining of nanoparticles and of necking. The device 1 is provided for manufacturing nanoparticles by heating and melting a mixture of a raw material metal powder and a carrier gas in a heating space, cooling the mixture in a cooling space and collecting the mixture in a collection space. The heating space, the cooling space and the collection space form a continuous flow path without a back flow, and the cross-sectional area of the collection space is set at a large value compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating space and the cooling space. Further, there is provided a method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal by dispersing nanoparticles in a liquid alkali metal. A liquid alkali metal obtained by dispersing nanoparticles in the liquid alkali metal is manufactured by performing a rough dispersion step of stirring nanoparticles in the liquid alkali metal by a physical effect and a dispersion step of dispersing nanoparticles in the liquid alkali metal by irradiating the liquid alkali metal with ultrasonic waves after the rough dispersion step.

1 . A nanoparticle manufacturing device for manufacturing nanoparticles by heating and melting a mixture of a raw material metal powder and a carrier gas in a heating space, cooling the mixture in a cooling space and collecting the mixture in a collection space,
 wherein the heating space, the cooling space and the collection space form a continuous flow path without a back flow, and the cross-sectional area of the collection space is set at a large value compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating space and the cooling space.   
     
     
         2 . The nanoparticle manufacturing device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heating and melting temperature of the heating space is maintained at a first temperature which is not less than the melting point of the raw material metal powder,   wherein the cooling space is maintained at a second temperature which is lower than the melting point of the raw material metal powder, and   wherein the collection space is maintained at a third temperature which is lower than the second temperature of the cooling space.   
     
     
         3 . A nanoparticle manufacturing method for manufacturing nanoparticles by subjecting a mixture of a raw material metal powder and a carrier gas to a heating and melting treatment in a heating space, subjecting the mixture to a cooling treatment in a cooling space and subjecting the mixture to a collection treatment in a collection space,
 wherein the heating and melting treatment in the heating space, the cooling treatment in the cooling space and the collection treatment in the collection space form a continuous flow path without a back flow, and the cross-section area of the collection space is set at a large value compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating space and the cooling space, whereby nanoparticles are manufactured.   
     
     
         4 . The nanoparticle manufacturing method according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the treatment temperature of the heating and melting treatment in the heating space is maintained at a first temperature which is not less than the melting point of the raw material metal powder,   wherein the temperature of the cooling treatment in the cooling space is maintained at a second temperature which is lower than the melting point of the raw material metal powder, and   wherein the temperature of the collection treatment in the collection space is maintained at a third temperature which is lower than the second temperature of the cooling space.   
     
     
         5 . A method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal by dispersing nanoparticles in a liquid alkali metal, comprising:
 a rough dispersion step of stirring nanoparticles in the liquid alkali metal by a physical effect; and   a dispersion step of dispersing nanoparticles in the liquid alkali metal by irradiating the liquid alkali metal with ultrasonic waves after the rough dispersion step.   
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal according to  claim 5 , wherein the liquid alkali metal is any of lithium, sodium, potassium and an alloy whose main component is any of the metals. 
     
     
         7 . The method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal according to  claim 5 , wherein the nanoparticles are made of any of the metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper. 
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing a nanoparticle-dispersed liquid alkali metal according to  claim 6 , wherein the nanoparticles are made of any of the metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel and copper.