Production methods and applications of low impurity metal nanopowders

The use of powders with a mean particle size < 1 (mo)m is still considered to be advanced technology in many PM applications. Compared with ceramic processing, metal nanopowders are much more difficult to process and handle than powders in the micrometre size range. Nevertheless, wide ranging applications require metallic nanopowders and different production processes to serve this need. This feature provides an introduction to the processes commercially used to produce metal nanopowders, with specific emphasis on gas phase techniques for production of powders with low impurity levels. Examples are given of state of the art commercial applications of metal nanopowders.