Session: 15-01-01: ASME International Undergraduate Research and Design Exposition

Paper Number: 100674

100674 - Evaluating Ultra-High-Temperature Heaters for Use in a Gas-Phase Synthesis of Metals 

Gas-phase combustion synthesis (GCS) is a new process in industry for creating nanoparticles, which in turn grows the field of possibilities in the materials industry. The prevailing problem with this process, until recently, has been producing particles that are pure, super-fine, non-agglomerated, and non-oxide materials.

Researchers have demonstrated an ability to produce ultrafine, non-agglomerated, non-oxide ceramic, metal, and composite powders. Their unique combustion and encapsulation process allows for large quantities of technologically significant nanomaterials to be produced at a lower cost. However, the encapsulation process could be improved upon to obtain even more pure, non-oxidized, nanoparticles.

This presentation focuses on a new option for the optimization of the deposition and collection of nanoparticles. A glow plug is a part of a diesel engine that promotes efficient fuel combustion by heating the fuel and air in the engine. At approximately 3.72 inches tall, it can fit inside the deposition chamber, and can also get extremely hot by connecting it to a power source. Questions regarding the glow plug included whether it was able to get hot enough to vaporize unwanted particle contaminates, and what power was needed to get to that temperature. A titanium sheath was made to fit over the glow plug so it would have a flat surface on the side and top for even deposition. To run the experiment, two glow plugs, one with the sheath and one without, were connected to a DC power source and incrementally increased in power to 120 watts. At every increment, a raw photo was taken and later analyzed using its color ratios and MATLAB codes to coordinate the color of the glow plug to its temperature.

The results showed that the sheath caused the temperature of the glow plug to go down at any given power. However, even with the sheath, the glow plug still reached over 1000 degrees Celsius at the maximum power of 120 watts. This meant that the glow plug should be able to get hot enough to dissipate any unwanted depositions, leaving only metal deposition. After testing its performance it in the system as the deposition plate, the results were then examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). By looking at the crystalline structures of the deposition, it was evident there was pure metal deposition where the glow plug was hot, and contaminate formations where the glow plug was not hot. This means the hot glow plug was able to successfully dissipate the unwanted contaminates and only collect the synthesized metal, resulting in a more pure and less oxidized product.

Presenting Author: Lena Juenger Washington University in St. Louis

Presenting Author Biography: I am currently in my Junior year, studying mechanical engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I have a passion for innovation and the overall improvement of the quality of life for those around me, and am inspired to uncover great innovations that lie hidden in plain sight around us all. I spend my time outside of class working as a research assistant in a biomedical engineering lab at SIUE, working as an enrichment session leader to Calculus I classes, and practicing and teaching taekwondo. My education and career interests lie in the engineering field, specifically mechanical, biomedical, and aerospace. I am pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at SIUE, and hope to help those around me in the future with the things that I am learning.

Authors:

Lena Juenger Washington University in St. Louis