Synthesis and Characteristics of Immiscible Fe-Cu Nanoparticles using Electrical Explosion of Wire in Liquid

Abstract

Nowadays, with the fast development of science and technology, we require more advanced material. Nanomaterials, having unique, beneficial chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, nanomaterials have been studied long times ago from the 1980s but its applications were very limited still. In recent decades, the nanomaterials have been successfully commercialized using different manufacturing processes, and can be used in a variety of industrial products, bio-medical and healthcare, etc. Bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) are the nanometer-sized solid particle that formed by the combination of two different metals. The bimetallic nanoparticles have attracted huge attention as compared to monometallic nanoparticles in both technological and scientific view because BNPs show better properties. Because of the remarkable properties and performance of iron (Fe) - copper (Cu) alloys, there are a lot of research study on the synthesis and applications of these materials. Even though their atomic radiuses are similar, the Fe and Cu are practically immiscible in the equilibrium state. As non-equilibrium solid solutions, the metastable Fe-Cu alloys can be synthesized by special methods such as rapid quenching, vapor deposition, sputtering, ion-beam mixing, and mechanical alloying. The complexity of those methods (multiple steps, low productivity, high cost and non-eco-friendly) can be crucial problem for industrial applications. Electrical explosion of wire (EEW) is well known as an effective method for synthesis metallic and alloy nanoparticles. By explosive destruction of metal wires, materials of the wires turn into particles with nanosized range (10 – 100 nm). The extremely non-equilibrium conditions of EEW can cause some interesting properties of the nanopowders. In addition, fabrication by the EEW can be a simple and economical process, lead to more applications in industrial. In this study, Fe-Cu nanoparticles was fabricated by electrical explosion of wires. Powder shape and size distribution and alloying state will be analyzed and discussed according to the conditions of EEW. Fe nanoparticles, Cu nanoparticles, Fe and Cu mixed nanoparticles were also be prepared to be analyzed and compared with experimental conditions.