Influence of processing parameters on the properties of silicon nanoparticles synthesized by radio-frequency induction thermal plasma

Summary form only given. Silicon nanopowders have been synthesized from micrometric Si precursors using lab-scale radio-frequency induction thermal plasma (RF-ITP) system. The latter is composed of a commercial inductively coupled plasma torch (Tekna PL-35) mounted on a reaction chamber characterized by a cylindrical geometry [Colombo, V. et al., 2011; Leparoux, M. et al., 2008] under soft vacuum. Nanopowder samples have been collected at different positions in the reaction chamber and in the filter at the outlet of the reactor and successively characterized using a particle size analyzer and BET analysis. The influence of processing parameters of the RF-ITP system (power level, pressure and powder feed rate) on size distribution and surface area of the synthesized nanopowders has been investigated.A computational model that includes plasma thermo-fluiddynamics, precursor tracking and evaporation, nanopowder nucleation and growth has been used to investigate the synthesis process. Two approaches, the method of moments and the nodal method [Colombo, V. et al.], have been adopted to model nanopowder population transport and their results have been compared. The influence of turbulence on the diffusive term of nanopowder transport equations has been highlighted comparing the predicted nanoparticle properties with experimental nanopowder characterization data.