Gas dispersion manufacture of nanoparticulates, and nanoparticulate-containing products and processing thereof

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of making multi-phase particles that include nanoparticulates and matrix, which maintains the nanoparticulates in a dispersed state. A flowing gas dispersion is generated that includes droplets of a precursor medium dispersed in a gas phase. The precursor medium contains liquid vehicle and at least a first precursor to a first material and a second precursor to a second material. The multi-phase particles are formed from the gas dispersion by removing at least a portion of the liquid vehicle from the droplets of precursor medium. The nanoparticulates in the multi-phase particles include the first material and the matrix in the multi-phase particles includes the second material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas dispersion method for making nanoparticulates, the method comprising:
 generating a flowing gas dispersion, as generated the gas dispersion comprising droplets of a precursor medium dispersed in a gas phase, with the precursor medium comprising liquid vehicle and at least two precursors, a first said precursor being a precursor to a first material and a second said precursor being a precursor to a second material;   in the gas dispersion, forming multi-phase particles dispersed in the gas phase, the multi-phase particles each comprising a dispersion of nanoparticulates and matrix, with the nanoparticulates maintained in a dispersed state by the matrix;   the forming multi-phase particles comprising removing at least a portion of the liquid vehicle from the droplets to the gas phase and forming the matrix and the dispersion of the nanoparticulates, with the nanoparticulates comprising the first material and the matrix comprising the second material; and   after the forming multi-phase particles, collecting the multi-phase particles directly from the gas dispersion into a liquid medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting comprises spraying the liquid medium into the gas dispersion. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collecting comprises contacting the gas dispersion with a flowing stream of the liquid medium. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid medium is a solvent for the second material, and the method comprises:
 decomposing the multi-phase particles to release the nanoparticulates, the decomposing comprising dissolving at least a portion of the second material into the liquid medium.