Forming a carbide coating on the surface of aluminum nanoparticles and producing nanopowders from Al-Al4C3 using the method of electric explosion of wire

The controlled feeding of butane to inert working gas in the process of producing aluminum nanopowders using the method of electrical explosion of wire (EEW) allows carbide coatings to be formed on the surface of aluminum particles, reducing the agglomeration of the particles and producing Al-Al4C3 nanopowders of various compositions and dispersivity. The dependences that the specific surface area of powder, the content of crystalline aluminum carbide, and the phase composition of powders have on the quantity of the butane fed at different values of energy input into the wire are presented. The morphology of the particles is examined. The powders were analyzed using BET, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry (TG/DSC/MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).