(229a) Functional Nanoparticles Made in Flame Aerosol Reactors

Recent advances in the scientific understanding of particle formation and growth in gases allow now scalable synthesis of sophisticated nanoparticles leading to fascinating new products as flames liberate us somehow from the ?tyranny of thermodynamics?. As a result, particle technology makes an unprecedented impact to select products from catalysts to sensors and even dental and medical materials to name a few. More specifically catalytic particles are made exhibiting faster conversion than conventionally-made noble-metal cluster laden ceramic particles enabling independent control of cluster-particle characteristics. Radioopaque but transparent dental nanocomposites are made by rapid cooling Ta2O5 on freshly-made silica substrates for the first time. By coupling particle formation and deposition, new metal/ceramic sensors are developed exhibiting high sensitivity obliterating the cumbersome steps of slurry deposition, drying and annealing. From a fundamental point of view, emphasis is placed now on the distinction between hard- and soft-agglomerates as it impacts both on-line monitoring of particle formation and growth as well processing of particle suspensions from chemical-mechanical polishing slurries to nanocomposite development.