Economical Synthesis of Highly Reactive Nanoparticles for Destructive Absoprtion Technology

There is an increasing need for innovative technologies that can destroy hazardous chemical wastes cost-effectively. The ideal technology needs to be non-polluting, of low capital and operating costs and capable of producing useful products from the wastes. Destructive Absorption Technology (DAT) has been demonstrated to meet two of these needs: DAT is non-polluting and can produce useful products (fuels) from wastes. However, DAT is expensive because the nanoscale powders of MgO and CaO that DAT uses as raw materials are expensive to produce. For commercialization of DAT it is mandatory that a technology be developed that can produce nanoscale powders at low costs, ideally in the cents/lb range. Nanomaterials Research Corporation (NRC) seeks, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to develop a process that can produce bulk quantities of DAT-powders economically. NRC's technical approach is to synthesize nanopowders of MGo and CaO by continuously evaporating high vapor pressure precursors of the DAT-component and then forming nanoscale powders (expected size less than 5nm) in a forced convection stream. The nanoscale powders will next be quenched and used in situ. Phase I work will establish the proof-of-concept that high surface area DAT-nanopowders can be synthesized economically. Phase II will build a prototype reactor, optimize its performance and field test the reactor.