Use of low-temperature plasma for the production of ultrafine copper powders

Conclusions In an investigation of the hydrogen reduction of copper chloride in a stream of arc-discharge argon plasma ultrafine (d<0.1 m) copper powders of spherical particle shape were obtained characterized by comparatively narrow particle size distribution functions. Their oxygen content was 0.1 wt. %. It was found by experiment that the mean particle size of such a copper powder and its particle size distribution vary as functions of the rate of supply of copper chloride, but are independent of the rate of feed of the plasma-forming gas, which is in accord with the proposed model of frontal reaction of copper chloride with hydrogen on the scale of turbulent globules. Ultrafine copper powders produced by the method described can be pressed at room temperature to a residual porosity of not more than 5%.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 11(263), pp. 23–28, November, 1984.