Method and apparatus for forming nano-particles

Abstract

Nano-scale particles of materials can be produced by vaporizing material and allowing the material to flow in a non-violently turbulent manner into thermal communication with a cooling fluid, thereby forming small particles of the material that can be in the nano-scale size range. A raw material feeder can be configured to feed raw material toward a heater which vaporizes the raw material. The feeder can include a metering device for controlling the flow of raw material toward the heater. A gas source can also be used to cause gas to flow through a portion of the raw material feeder along with the raw material.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A nano-scale particle generator comprising:
 a first heating device configured to vaporize raw material; and   a raw material feeder configured to feed a raw material into contact with the first heating device and to feed a gas along with the raw material through the raw material feeder.   
     
     
         2 . The generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the raw material feeder device comprises a conduit configured to guide the raw material and the gas toward the first heating device. 
     
     
         3 . The generator according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a chamber, the first heater being disposed in the chamber, the raw material feeder being configured to feed the raw material from a location outside of the chamber to a location inside the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . A nano-scale particle generator comprising:
 a first heating device configured to vaporize raw material; and   means for feeding granular raw material into thermal communication with the first heating device.   
     
     
         5 . A nano-scale particle generator comprising:
 a first heating device configured to vaporize raw material; and   means for feeding raw material and a gas together toward the first heating device.