The proposed project compromises an experimental and theoretical study of the plasma preparation of fine powders suitable for the processing of ceramics. The effects of cooling rates and reactant concentrations on particle nucleation and growth will be investigated. A special apparatus will be used to conduct experiments in which several substances are nucleated from the gas phase. On-line particle size and number density measurements will be performed. Discrete-based models and moment models will be developed for the nucleation rate of liquid and solid particles. The proposed research will advance the theory of particle production in plasma reactors, and the predictions of powder quality as a function of the processing parameters can be used to optimize their design.
