Ni wires with a diameter and length of 0.4 and 100 mm, respectively, and a purity of 99.9% are electrically exploded at 25 cycles per minute. The Ni nanopowders are successfully synthesized by a pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method, in which Ar gas is used as the ambient gas. The characterization of the nanopowders is carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a high-resolution transmission electronmicroscope (HRTEM). The Ni nanopowders are classified for a multilayer ceramic condenser (MLCC) application using a type two Air-Centrifugal classifier (model: CNI, MP-250). The characterization of the classified Ni nanopowders are carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and particle size analysis (PSA) to observe the distribution and minimum classification point (minimum cutting point) of the nanopowders.

This study investigated the effect of solvent on the fabrication of Ni-free Fe-based alloy nano powders by employing the PWE (pulsed wire evaporation) in liquid and compared the alloy particles fabricated by three different methods (PWE in liquid, PWE in Ar, plasma arc discharge), for high temperature oxidation-resistant metallic porous body for high temperature soot filter system. Three different solvents (ethanol, acetone, distilled water) of liquid were adapted in PWE in liquid process, while X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to investigate the characteristics of the Fe-Cr-Al nano powders. The alloy powder synthesized by PWE in ethanol has good particle size and no surface oxidation compared to that of distilled water. Since the Fe-based alloy powders, which were fabricated by PWE in Ar and PAD process, showed surface oxidation by TEM analysis, the PWE in ethanol is the best way to fabricate Fe-based alloy nano powder.

This study investigated the effect of wire diameter and applied voltage on the fabrication of Ni-free Fe-based alloy nano powders by employing the PWE (pulsed wire evaporation) in liquid, for high temperature oxidation-resistant metallic porous body for high temperature particulate matter (or soot) filter system. Three different diameter (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mm) of alloy wire and various applied voltages from 0.5 to 3.0 kV were main variables in PWE process, while X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to investigate the characteristics of the Fe-Cr-Al nano powders. It was controlled the number of explosion events, since evaporated and condensed nano-particles were coalesced to micron-sized secondary particles, when exceeded to the specific number of explosion events, which were not suitable for metallic porous body preparation. As the diameter of alloy wire increased, the voltage for electrical explosion increased and the size of primary particle decreased.

Ethylene glycol-based Cu nanofluids were prepared by pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method. The structural properties of Cu nanoparticles were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The average diameter and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area of Cu nanoparticles were about 100 nm and , respectively. The thermal conductivity and viscosity of copper nanofluid were measured as functions of Cu concentration and temperature. As the volume fraction of Cu nanoparticles increased, both the enhanced ratios of thermal conductivity and viscosity of Cu nanofluids increased. As the temperature increased, the enhanced ratio of thermal conductivity increased, but that ratio of viscosity decreased.

The silver nanofluids were synthesized by the pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method in a liquid-gas mixture. The size and microstructure of nanoparticles in the deionized water were investigated by a particle size analyzer (PSA), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Also, the synthesized nanofluids were investigated in order to assess the stability of dispersion of nanofluid by the zetapotential analyzer and dispersion stability analyzer. The results showed that the spherical silver nanoparticle formed in the deionized water and mean particle size was about 50 nm. Also, when explosion times were in the range of 20~200 times, the absolute value of zeta potential was less than -27 mV and the dispersion stability characteristic of low concentration silver nanofluid was better than the high concentration silver nanofluid by turbiscan.

Carbon-coated Cu nanopowders with core/shell structure have been successfully fabricated by pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method, in which a mixed gas of Ar/ (10 vol.%) was used as an ambient gas. The characterization of the samples was carried out using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). It was found that the nanoparticles show a spherical morphology with the size ranging of 10-40 nm and are covered with graphite layers of 2-4 nm. When oxygen-passivated Cu nanopowders were annealed under flowing argon gas (600 and 800), the crystallinity of phase and the particle size gradually increased. On the other hand, carbon-coated Cu nanopowders remained similar to as-prepared case with no additional oxide or carbide phases even after the annealing, indicating that the metal nanoparticles are well protected by the carbon-coating layers.

Nanoscale Cu-Ni alloy nanopowders have been produced by a pulsed wire evaporation method in an inert gas. The effect of Cu-Ni alloy nanopowders as additives to motor oil on the tribological properties was studied at room temperature. The worn surfaces were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Cu-Ni alloy nanopowders as additives lowered coefficient of friction and wear rate. It was found that a copper containing layer on the worn surface was formed, and deposited layers of the metal cladding acted as lubricant on the worn surface, reducing the friction coefficient. It was clearly demonstrated that Cu-Ni alloy nanopowders as additives are able to restore the worn surface and to preserve the friction surfaces from wear

The possibility to decrease agglomeration of Cu nano powders and their separation during pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) process was investigated by controlling the working gas system, i.e., the design of the gas path, the type and pressure of the atmospheric gas. As a result, it was possible to choose the optimal design of the gas path providing large specific surface area and high degree of separation of the synthesized Cu nano powders. It was also shown that an Ar+10∼50 mixture can be used in production of Cu nano powders, which do not react with nitrogen.

In this study the possibility to obtain a homogeneous mixture and to produce solid solutions and intermetallic compounds of Fe and Al nano particles by simultaneous pulsed wire evaporation (S-PWE) have been investigated. The Fe and Al wires with 0.45 mm in diameter and 35 mm in length were continuously co-fed by a special mechanism to the explosion chamber and simultaneously exploded. The characteristics, e.g., phase composition, particle shape, and specific surface area of Fe-Al nano powders have been analyzed. The synthesized powders, beside for Al and -Fe, contain significant amount of a high-temperature phase of -Fe, Fe Al and traces of other intermetallics. The phase composition of powders could be changed over broad limits by varying initial explosion conditions, e.g. wire distance, input energy, for parallel wires of different metals. The yield of the nano powder is as large as 40 wt ％ and the powder may include up to 46 wt % FeAl as an intermetallic compound.

Pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method is known as the promising production-technique for nanopowders. In this study, we developed and modified the previous single wire explosion equipment to the simultaneous two-wire explosion one for the fabrication of alloy or mixture of nano metallic powder. First of all, both the theoretical and empirical background of pulsed wire explosion of single wire were summarized, and compared with our experimental results for Cu and Al single wlre explosion. After then, the simultaneous wire evaporation equipment was designed, constructed, and tested. The current and voltage behavior were well matched between the calculated ones from the circuit equations, and the experimental results from simultaneous explosion of Cu and Al wire.

Synthesis and characteristics of Cu nanopowder were considered by in-situ characterization method using SMPS in pulsed wire evaporation process. With increasing pressure in chamber, particle size and degree of agglomeration increased by increase of collision frequency. Also, it was found from the XRD analyses and BET measurements that crystallite size and particle size decreased with elevating applied voltage. However, SMPS measurements and TEM observation revealed the increase of particle size and degree of agglomeration with increase of applied voltage. These results suggested that particle growth and agglomeration depend on overheating factor in chamber at the early stage and thermal coagulation in filtering system during powder formation until collection.

Nanocrystalline materials of Ni and Ni-Cu alloy have been synthesized by the pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method and these abnormal magnetic properties in the magnetic ordered state have been characterized using both VSM and SQUID in the range of high and low magnetic fields. Ni and Ni-Cu particles with an average size of 20 to 80 nm were found to influence magnetic hysterisis behavior and the results of powder neutron diffraction patterns and saturation magnetization curves are shown to indicate the absence of the NiO phase. The shifted hysterisis loop and irreversibility of the magnetization curve in the high field region were observed in the magnetic-ordered state of both Ni and Ni-Cu. The virgin magnetization curve for Ni slightly spillover on the limited hysterisis loop (20kOe). This irreversibility in the high field of 50 kOe can be explained by non-col-linear behavior and the existence of the metastable states of the magnetization at the surface layer (or core) of the particle in the applied magnetic field. Immiscible alloy of Cu-Ni was also found to show irreversibility having two different magnetic phases.

Nanoparticles of with a mean particle size of 4-30 nm have been prepared by a pulsed wire evaporation method, and its structural and magnetic properties were studied by SQUID magnetometer and Mossbauer spectroscopy. From the main peak intensity of XRD and absorption rate of Mossbauer spectrum, the amounts of and in as-prepared sample are about 70% and 30%, respectively. The coercivity (53 Oe) and the saturation magnetization (14 emu/g) are about 20% of those of the bulk . The low value of coercivity and saturation magnetization indicate that the phase nearly shows the spin glass-like behavior. Analysis of the set of Mossbauer spectrum indicates a distribution of magnetic hyperfine fields due to the particle size distribution yielding 20 nm of average particle size. The magnetic hyperfine parameters are consistent with values reported of bulk and . A quadrupole line on the center of spectrum represents of superparamagnetic phase of with a mean particle size of 7 nm or below.