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Introducing Metal Nanopowders Limited
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Figure 1. Aluminium nanopowder |
Nanopowders with average particle sizes below 100nm have attracted increasing commercial interests because of their unique physical and chemical properties caused by significantly high surface area and high fraction of atoms located at their surfaces. These unique properties allow such powders to have (i) enhanced chemical reaction, (ii) faster sintering kinetics, (iii) higher electrical resistivity, (iv) increased magnetic coecivity and (v) size-dependent absorption behaviour. They are ideal candidates for catalysts, magnetic recording tapes, magnetic fl uid, conducting paste, antibacterial agent, metallic paints, additives for propellants/ explosive, microwave absorption, batteries and other electronic applications.
| Metal Nanopowders Limited welcomes co-development of new products that meet your needs |
Emerging processes for producing nano-sized powders include inert gas condensation, electro-explosion of wire, mechanochemical processing, plasma torch processing, fl ame spray pyrolysis, sonochemical synthesis, chemical precipitation, and electrochemical method. However, these methods require either expensive equipment such as vacuum-based systems, chemical reaction chambers, plasma torches, powder purification units and/or limited choice of material, as well as having high energy costs.
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Figure 2. Zinc Oxide nanopowder |
Metal Nanopowders Ltd is a spinout company from the University of Birmingham. It was founded by Dr Chang in 2003. The company specialises in the production and supply of nanopowders using a patented process that can offer energy efficiency, fl exibility on the choice of raw materials, easily scale up to large batch production, applicable to a wide variety of materials as compared to conventional and other emerging production processes. Our facility allows us to produce a range of nanopowders, including metals (eg Aluminium, Iron, Nickel, Silver, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Titanium), oxides (eg Tin Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Oxide, Aluminium Oxide) and nitrides (eg Titanium Nitride), with exception purity and physical/chemical properties in both small and large batch quantities (see figures 1-3).
The patented process involves the evaporation of either bulk or granular materials using a cost-effective concentrated heat source provided by an arc-discharge method. The vapour species are then quenched into nanosized powders by the surrounding cooling medium. These powders can then be collected dry or in suspension of either organic or aqueous medium. By adjusting the processing conditions, particle nucleation and morphology can be controlled to produce nanopowders with desirable size and shape.
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Figure 3. Titanium nitride nanopowder |
Metal Nanopowders Limited have already supplied nanopowders to several pharmaceutical companies in UK and abroad (eg GSK and FeRx) in the past. Currently, the company is developing new nanopowder products for advanced electrical and domestic applications. In addition, Metal Nanopowders Limited welcomes codevelopment of new products that meet your needs and licensing of nanopowder production technology.
Metal Nanopowders Limited
Department of Metallurgy and Materials
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham
B15 2TT, UK
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)121 414 5167
E-mail:
Website: www.metalnanopowders.com