CONTROLLED VAPOR PHASE NUCLEATION AND GROWTH OF NANOMETER-SIZED CERAMIC OXIDE PARTICLES (PE-108B)

CURRENT PROCESSES USED TO GENERATE ULTRAFINE CERAMIC OXIDE PARTICLES FOR INCORPORATION INTO CERMET MATERIALS EITHER DO NOT GENERATE PARTICLES OF SUFFICIENTLY SMALL DIAMETER, OR PRODUCE PARTICLES WITH AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH DEGREE OF AGGREGATION. DURING PHASE I, A NOVEL AEROSOL OXIDATION PROCESS IS PROPOSED TO GENERATE CERAMIC OXIDE PARTICLES IN THE NANOMETER SIZE RANGE. BY CONTROLLING PROCESSING CONDITIONS (TEMPERATURE, OXIDIZING ENVIRONMENT), THE DEGREE OF AGGREGATION OF THE CERAMIC PARTICLES WILL BE CONTROLLED. THE ULTRAFINE PARTICLES GENERATED BY THIS PROCESS WILL BE COLLECTED, SIZED BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES, AND ANALYZED FOR CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION. AT THE CONCLUSION OF PHASE I, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROCESS WILL HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED.