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Boron Nitride Nanotubes |
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Applied Plasma Technologies, Corp. (APT) is a developer of the direct boron nitriding (DBN) technology to produce boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT). This means that pure nitrogen in the plasma state reacts with boron powder directly without any catalyst. Further, and due to fast quenching in a downstream reactor, the BN droplets elongate into nanotubes. A qualitative physical model of this process is described in paper by I. B. Matveev, Quality Physical Model of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Formation in ICP/RF Plasma, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 1649-1652, June. 2022. IEEE Xplore. Three available on the market production technologies were compared in the most recent publication by I. Matveev, Boron Nitride Nanotubes - Plasma Aided Technologies, Equipment and Market Preprint. Click here to view video tour of our facility with the real process of BNNT formation.
More about modeling could be found in the paper by I. B. Matveev et al, Investigation of the Boron Particles Behavior in ICP/RF Plasma, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., vol. 45, no. 12, pp. 3105-3109, Dec. 2017. Modeling.
Alternative plasma based technology is more complicated and employs a blend of nitrogen, argon and hydrogen as a plasma gas and BN as a feedstock.
Our first radio-frequency (RF) system for operation on pure nitrogen at 5 bar pressure in a reactor was commissioned to the process inventor - UC Berkeley in 2012. Since then, several more RF systems were sold to the US startups. Right now the most advanced direct boron nitriding (DBN) process with one bar pressure on the output is based on the APT-110/125 plasma torch system and enables continuous operation with production capacity up to 100 grams per hour. This is the highest known productivity for BNNT. General view of the BNNT production module in unit #1 of the Testing Building is shown in above photograph.
Today APT offers BNNT modules with almost twice higher yield based on the APT-250 plasma torch system and considers plans for establishing the worlds first cluster for an industrial scale production of this unique material. Feel free to contact us for more details.
Initially developed for BNNT synthesis, these modules are universal and could be adjusted for multiple processes, including surface properties modification of powders (Ti based alloys, carbon black, etc.), powders clean up (quartz), production of ultra-high temperature ceramics (Si3N4, etc.), carbon nanotubes and other emerging materials. |
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