Process to make core-shell structured nanoparticles

1. A process for making a composite material containing core-shell structured nanoparticles, the process including:

providing a precursor containing a solid core material and a solid carbon shell material;

suspending the precursor in an inert gas for the purpose of producing an aerosol;

providing a plasma having a hot zone;

passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma;

vaporizing at least part of the solid core material and at least part of the solid carbon shell material;

removing the solid core material and the solid shell material that has been vaporized from the hot zone of the plasma; and

allowing the solid core material and the solid shell material that has been vaporized to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles having a core made from a single element.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the precursor is a powder.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the core material is a lithium alloying material.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the core material contains an element selected from the group consisting of tin, silicon, aluminum and germanium.

5. The process of claim 3 , wherein the core material is a pre-lithiated material.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is argon.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the aerosol passes through a tube that terminates within the hot zone of the plasma.

8. The process of claim 7 , further including supplying a plasma gas that passes through the hot zone of the plasma.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the plasma is a non-oxidizing plasma.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the plasma is a low power atmospheric or near atmospheric pressure plasma with microwave energy focused within a waveguide.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the core-shell structured nanoparticles have an outer average mean diameter of less than 500 nanometers.

12. The process of claim 11 , further including exposing the core-shell structured nanoparticles to a treatment to reduce the size of a core within a shell of the core-shell structured nanoparticles.

13. A process for making a composite material containing core-shell structured nanoparticles, the process including:

providing a precursor containing a solid core material and a solid carbon shell material;

suspending the precursor in an inert gas for the purpose of producing an aerosol;

providing a plasma torch;

providing an aerosol tube that terminates within the plasma torch;

providing a plasma gas that passes through the plasma torch exterior to the aerosol tube;

generating a plasma using the plasma gas, the plasma having a hot zone;

passing the aerosol through the aerosol tube, the inert gas with the suspended precursor exiting the aerosol tube and entering into the hot zone of the plasma;

vaporizing at least part of the solid core material and at least part of the solid carbon shell material in the aerosol in the hot zone of the plasma;

passing the solid core material and the solid carbon shell material that has been vaporized through the hot zone of the plasma into an afterglow region; and

allowing the solid core material and the solid carbon shell material that has been vaporized to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles having a core made from a single element.

14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the precursor is a powder.

15. The process of claim 13 , wherein the core material is a lithium alloying material.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the core material contains an element selected from the group consisting of tin, silicon, aluminum and germanium.

17. The process of claim 15 , wherein the core material is a pre-lithiated material.