Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, -Fe and magnesium nitride.

Certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein include an apparatus and method for programming a crystal lattice structure of a nanoparticle. A particle programming apparatus can include an input channel connected a particle sampling system. The particle sampling system can direct freshly milled nanoparticles to the particle programming apparatus if the nanoparticles are determined to be below a threshold size. The particle programming apparatus can include one or more programming devices configured to alter a crystal lattice of the received nanoparticles including an ultrasonic sound generator, a magnetic pulse generator, and a voltage generator. The one or more programming devices applies any of a sound, magnetic pulse, and voltage to the received nanoparticles within a time threshold of receiving the nanoparticles from the mill core.

Certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein include an apparatus and method for programming a crystal lattice structure of a nanoparticle. A particle programming apparatus can include an input channel connected a particle sampling system. The particle sampling system can direct freshly milled nanoparticles to the particle programming apparatus if the nanoparticles are determined to be below a threshold size. The particle programming apparatus can include one or more programming devices configured to alter a crystal lattice of the received nanoparticles including an ultrasonic sound generator, a magnetic pulse generator, and a voltage generator. The one or more programming devices applies any of a sound, magnetic pulse, and voltage to the received nanoparticles within a time threshold of receiving the nanoparticles from the mill core.

A fiber is provided that has been thermally drawn from a fiber preform, having a longitudinal-axis length and including at least one core that has a longitudinal core axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and internally disposed to at least one outer fiber cladding material layer along the fiber length. The fiber is fed through a localized heating site having a heating site temperature, T, that is above a melting temperature of the fiber core, with a feed speed, .sub.f, that melts a portion of the fiber core at the heating site, causing molten droplets to pinch off of fiber core material, one droplet at a time, with a time period of molten droplet formation set by the fiber feed speed, .sub.f. The fiber is fed through the localized heating site to move the molten droplets out of the heating site and solidify the molten droplets into solid in-fiber particles.

A method of producing metallic sodium powders. The method includes immersing one or more solid pieces of sodium metal in an organic liquid containing a hydrocarbon oil. The solid piece (s) of sodium metal immersed in the hydrocarbon oil is (are) then subjected to ultrasonic irradiation, wherein the solid piece of sodium metal is fragmented to form sodium powder, resulting in a dispersion of the sodium powder in the organic liquid. The dispersed sodium powder is then separated from the organic liquid, resulting in metallic sodium powder. A method of presodiation of an anode in an electrochemical cell. The method includes adding sodium metal powders to the surface of the anode either as a dry powder or as a suspension of the sodium particles in an organic liquid. An anode in an electrochemical cell containing metallic sodium particles. An electrochemical cell comprising a presodiated anode.

Provided are a fine particle production apparatus and a fine particle production method that can control the particle sizes of fine particles, and efficiently produce a large amount of fine particles having good particle size uniformity. The present invention comprises: a raw material supply unit which supplies raw materials for fine particle production into thermal plasma flame; a plasma torch in which the thermal plasma flame is generated, and which evaporates the raw material supplied by the raw material supply unit by means of the thermal plasma flame to form a mixture in a gas phase state; and a plasma generation unit which generates thermal plasma flame inside the plasma torch. The plasma generation unit includes: a first coil which surrounds the plasma torch, a second coil which is installed below the first coil in the longitudinal direction of the plasma torch and surrounds the circumference of the plasma torch; a first power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated first high-frequency current to the first coil; and a second power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated second high-frequency current to the second coil. The degree of modulation of the first high-frequency current is smaller than the degree of modulation of the second high-frequency current.

Provided are a fine particle production apparatus and a fine particle production method that can control the particle sizes of fine particles, and efficiently produce a large amount of fine particles having good particle size uniformity. The present invention comprises: a raw material supply unit which supplies raw materials for fine particle production into thermal plasma flame; a plasma torch in which the thermal plasma flame is generated, and which evaporates the raw material supplied by the raw material supply unit by means of the thermal plasma flame to form a mixture in a gas phase state; and a plasma generation unit which generates thermal plasma flame inside the plasma torch. The plasma generation unit includes: a first coil which surrounds the plasma torch, a second coil which is installed below the first coil in the longitudinal direction of the plasma torch and surrounds the circumference of the plasma torch; a first power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated first high-frequency current to the first coil; and a second power supply unit which supplies an amplitude-modulated second high-frequency current to the second coil. The degree of modulation of the first high-frequency current is smaller than the degree of modulation of the second high-frequency current.

To provide a flaky silver powder having a tapped density of from 0.8 g/mL to 1.9 g/mL, and a cumulative 50th percentile particle diameter (D.sub.50) of from 2 ?m to 7 ?m, where the cumulative 50th percentile particle diameter (D.sub.50) is measured by laser diffraction or laser scattering particle size analysis.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, y.-Fe and magnesium nitride.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising disposing a container containing a metal and/or ferromagnetic solid and abrasive particles in a static magnetic field; where the container is surrounded by an induction coil; activating the induction coil with an electrical current, to heat up the metallic or ferromagnetic solid to form a fluid; generating sonic energy to produce acoustic cavitation and abrasion between the abrasive particles and the container; and producing nanoparticles that comprise elements from the container, the metal and/or the ferromagnetic solid and the abrasive particles. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising first metal or a first ceramic; and particles comprising carbides and/or nitrides dispersed therein. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising nanoparticles comprising chromium carbide, iron carbide, nickel carbide, y.-Fe and magnesium nitride.