Plasma synthesized boron nano-sized powder: The effect of processing conditions on the crystallographic and microstructural properties

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2008 · Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-1148-PP12-01· OSTI ID:984436

Marzik, J V; Lewis, R C; Tillman, M E; Wu, Y Q; Finnemore, D K; Rindfleisch, M; Tomsic, M; Yue, J; Croft, W J

Boron nano-sized powders (doped and undoped) were synthesized by the reaction of boron trichloride, BCl{sub 3}, and hydrogen, H{sub 2}, in a plasma. The gases were mixed and injected into an argon RF plasma where they combined and formed boron powder via gas phase nucleation. Methane gas, CH{sub 4}, was added in the case of carbon-doped powder. These powders were found to be suitable for the fabrication of high performance superconducting magnesium diboride (MgB{sub 2}) wires. Plasma synthesized boron particles typically had the shape of low aspect ratio spheroids that tended to form open, lacy agglomerates. Particle sizes ranged from 10 to 250 nm. A typical batch of boron powder contained a mixture of amorphous and crystalline material. In this study, the effects of plasma power and carbon dopant addition on the crystallinity, particle size, and microstructure of boron nanopowder were investigated using powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAD). Particle size distribution was measured using SEM and TEM images. SAD patterns showed the characteristic halo of an amorphous material, but single crystal reflections were observed as well. Wires made from these powders attained 60,000 A/cm{sup 2} at 5 K and 5 Tesla and attained 25,000 A/cm{sup 2} at 20 K and 3 Tesla.

• Research Organization: Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-07CH11358
• OSTI ID: 984436
• Report Number(s): IS-J 7345
• Journal Information: Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings, Journal Name: Materials Research Society Symposia Proceedings Vol. 1148E; ISSN 0272-9172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ARGON
ASPECT RATIO
BORON
CARBON
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
FABRICATION
HYDROGEN
MAGNESIUM
METHANE
MICROSTRUCTURE
MIXTURES
MONOCRYSTALS
NUCLEATION
PARTICLE SIZE
PLASMA
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPHEROIDS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION