Je-Shin Park

Making of tantalum powder using the hunter process

Tantalum powder was made from potassium heptafluorotantalate (K2TaF7) using sodium as a reductant based on the Hunter metallothermic reduction method. The apparatus for the experiment was designed and built specifically for the present study. The tantalum particle size greatly decreased as the reduction temperature decreased from 860 to 740°C. The particle size was fairly uniform, varying from 2–3 μm to submicron sizes depending on the reaction temperature. Holding the reactants for more than 10 minutes after the completion of a sodium feeding caused irregular particle growth, thereby affecting particle size uniformity. It was found to be possible to agglomerate the powder to tens of micrometers in size by a vacuum heat treatment at 1350°C. The formation of Ta2C during the heat treatment shows that care must be taken to prevent contamination from the furnace environment.

Catalytic properties of Ni-Zn alloy prepared by mechanical alloying for steam reforming from methanol

Amorphous Zn65Ni35 alloy, the composition of which lies between β1-NiZn and γ-NiZn phases, was prepared by mechanical alloying for 200 hours. The alloy was heat treated at various temperatures and leached in NaOH solution in an effort to enhance the catalytic properties for hydrogen production from methanol. X-ray diffraction study revealed that the amorphous phase crystallized during the heat treatment to the equilibrium β1-NiZn and γ-NiZn phases. It was found that Zn65Ni35 alloy leached after heat treatment at 928 K showed the highest catalytic activity for steam reforming of methanol. It is believed that the enhanced catalytic activity of the Zn65Ni35 alloy heat treated at 928 K is due to the dispersed Ni particles on β1-ZnNi matrix which was formed during leaching of the γ-Zn21Ni5 phase.

Effects of Ball Milling on the Hydrogen Sorption Properties of Zr 57 V 36 Fe 7 Getter Alloy

The effects of milling time in argon and hydrogen atmospheres on the hydrogen sorption speed of a getter alloy, , was studied. The hydrogen sorption speed of milled alloys was evaluated at room temperature. In argon, as the oxygen content increased with milling time, the hydrogen sorption speed decreased accordingly. In hydrogen, on the other hand, the oxygen content decreased at first with milling time but started increasing after 5 hrs of milling time. Similar to the case of argon, however, the hydrogen sorption speed changed exactly in the opposite direction with the oxygen content, exhibiting the maximum rate at 5 hrs. These results suggest that in both atmospheres the hydrogen sorption speeds are inversely related with the oxygen contents.

The Selective Leaching of Al-Ni Alloy Nano Powders Prepared by Electrical Wire Explosion

Al-Ni alloy nano powders have been produced by the electrical explosion of Ni-plated Al wire. The porous nano particles were prepared by leaching for Al-Ni alloy nano powders in 20wt% NaOH aqueous solution. The structural properties of leached porous nano powder were investigated by nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission Microscope (TEM). The surface areas of the leached powders were increased with amounts of AI in alloys. The pore size distributions of these powders were exhibited maxima at range of pore diameters 3.0 to 3.5 nm from the desorption isotherm. The maximum values of those were decreased with amounts of Al in alloys.

Fabrication of Cu-Zn Alloy Nano Powders by Wire Explosion of Electrodeposited Wires

Cu-Zn alloy nano powders were fabricated by the electrical explosion of Zn-electroplated Cu wire along with commercial brass wire. The powders exploded from brass wire were composed mainly of phases while those from electroplated wires contained additional Zn-rich phases as , and Zn. In case of Zn-elec-troplated Cu wire, the mixing time of the two components during explosion might not be long enough to solidify as the phases of lower Zn content. This along with the high vapor pressure of Zn appears to be the reason for the observed shift of explosion products towards the high-Zn phases in electroplated wire system.

Ag-Cu Powders Prepared by Electrical Wire Explosion of Cu-plated Ag Wires

Ag-Cu alloy nano powders were fabricated by the electrical explosion of Cu-plated Ag wires. Ag wires of 0.2mm diameter was electroplated to final diameter of 0.220 mm and 0.307 mm which correspond to Ag-27Cu and Ag-68Cu alloy. The explosion product consisted of equilibrium phases of and -Cu. The particle size of Ag-Cu nano powders were 44 nm and 70 nm for 0.220 mm and 0.307 mm wires, respectively. The Ag-Cu nano powders contained less Cu than average value due to higher sublimation energy compared to that of Ag. As a result, micron-sized spherical particles formed from liquid droplets contained higher Cu content.