NANO-SKELETAL CATALYST
A method of producing a catalyst material with nano-scale structure, the method comprising: introducing a starting powder into a nano-powder production reactor, the starting powder comprising a catalyst material; the nano-powder production reactor nano-sizing the starting powder, thereby producing a nano-powder from the starting powder, the nano-powder comprising a plurality of nano-particles, each nano-particle comprising the catalyst material; and forming a catalyst precursor material from the nano-powder, wherein the catalyst precursor material is a densified bulk porous structure comprising the catalyst material, the catalyst material having a nano-scale structure.
1 . A method of producing a catalyst material with nano-scale structure, the method comprising:
providing a starting powder into a nano-powder production reactor, the starting powder comprising a catalyst material;
nano-sizing the starting powder in the nano-powder production reactor, thereby producing a nano-powder from the starting powder, the nano-powder comprising a plurality of nano-particles, each nano-particle comprising the catalyst material; and
forming a catalyst precursor material from the nano-powder, wherein the catalyst precursor material is a densified bulk porous structure comprising the catalyst material and a filler material, the catalyst material having a nano-scale structure; and
removing filler material from the bulk structure of the catalyst precursor to form a nano-scale skeletal structure comprising the catalyst material.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of nano-sizing the starting powder includes:
generating a plasma flow within the nano-powder production reactor;
and applying the plasma flow to the starting powder.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes pressing the nano-powder.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes bonding the nano-powder using spark plasma sintering, thereby preserving the nano-scale structure of the catalyst material.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting powder has an average grain size greater than or equal to 1 micron.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst material comprises a metal of the transition group VIII of the periodic table of elements.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal comprises nickel.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal comprises iron.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal comprises cobalt.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises aluminum.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises zinc.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises silicon.
14 . (canceled)
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing the filler material is performed by using a leaching solution.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the catalyst precursor material includes adding a promoter material to the bulk porous structure, the promoter material comprising at least one of zinc, molybdenum and chromium.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting powder consists only of the catalyst material.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of nano-sizing the starting powder includes:
generating a plasma flow within the nano-powder production reactor; and
applying the plasma flow to the starting powder.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes pressing the nano-powder.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes bonding the nano-powder using spark plasma sintering, thereby preserving the nano-scale structure of the catalyst material.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the starting powder has an average grain size greater than or equal to 1 micron.
22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the catalyst material comprises a metal of the transition group VIII of the periodic table of elements.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the metal comprises nickel.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the metal comprises iron.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the metal comprises cobalt.
26 . The method of claim 1 ,
further comprising removing surface contamination from the catalyst material.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the step of removing the surface contamination is performed by using an etching solution.
28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the catalyst precursor material includes adding a promoter material to the bulk porous structure, the promoter material comprising at least one of zinc, molybdenum and chromium.
29 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:
providing a filler powder into the nano-powder production reactor, the filler powder comprising aluminum.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes bonding the nano-powder using spark plasma sintering, thereby preserving the nano-scale structure of the nano-particles.
31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising removing a substantial portion of the aluminum from the bulk structure of the catalyst precursor material, thereby forming a nano-scale skeletal structure comprising the nickel, wherein the nickel is activated to form a nano-skeletal catalyst.
32 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the starting powder comprises nickel.
33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the step of forming a catalyst precursor material includes bonding the nano-powder using spark plasma sintering, thereby preserving the nano-scale structure of the nano-particles.
34 . The method of claim 33 ,
further comprising removing surface contamination from the catalyst material.
35 . A system for producing a catalyst material with nano-scale structure, the system comprising:
a powder dispensing device configured to provide a starting powder, the starting powder comprising a catalyst material;
a nano-powder production reactor configured to receive the starting powder from the powder dispensing device and produce a nano-powder from the starting powder, the nano-powder comprising a plurality of nano-particles each comprising the catalyst material; and
a bonding device configured to receive the nano-powder and form a catalyst precursor material from the nano-powder, wherein the catalyst precursor material is a densified bulk porous structure comprising the catalyst material, the catalyst material having a nano-scale structure.
36 . The system of claim 35 , wherein the nano-powder production reactor is configured to produce the nano-powder by:
generating a plasma flow within the nano-powder production reactor; and
applying the plasma flow to the starting powder.
37 . The system of claim 35 , wherein the bonding device is configured to bond the nano-powder using spark plasma sintering, wherein the spark plasma sintering preserves the nano-scale structure of the catalyst material.
38 . The system of claim 35 , wherein:
the starting powder, the nano-particles from the nano-powder production reactor, and the bulk porous structure of the catalyst precursor material each further comprises a filler material; and
the system further comprises a leaching apparatus configured to remove a substantial portion of the filler material from the bulk structure of the catalyst precursor material, thereby forming a nano-scale skeletal structure comprising the catalyst material, wherein the catalyst material is activated to form a nano-skeletal catalyst.
39 . The system of claim 35 , wherein:
the nano-scale catalyst material of the bulk structure has surface contamination; and
the system further comprises an etching apparatus configured to remove the surface contamination from the nano-scale catalyst material, thereby forming a nano-scale skeletal structure comprising the catalyst material, wherein the catalyst material is activated to form a nano-skeletal catalyst.
40 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-powder production reactor is coupled to a sampling device such that the nano-powder is exposed to the sampling device as the nano-powder is emitted from the nano-powder production reactor.
41 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-powder production reactor comprises one or more dispensing devices, each dispensing device coupled with a port that opens into the nano-powder production reactor.