Appeal 2007-0166
Application 10/195,757
I. APPEALED SUBJECT MATTER
The subject matter on appeal is directed to “a method for forming
nanoparticles of metal oxide from microparticles of elemental metal or metal
alloy (Br. 2).” According to the Appellants (Br. 2-3):
An aerosol of microparticles of metal is directed into the hot
zone of a microwave-generated plasma. The microparticles
vaporize in the hot zone, and the vapor is directed away from
the hot zone to a cooler region where it condenses and oxidizes
to form nanoparticles of metal oxide.
Details of the appealed subject matter are recited in representative claim 1,
which is reproduced below:
1. A method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles,
comprising the steps of:
(a) generating an aerosol comprising solid metallic precursor
microparticles;
(b) generating a microwave plasma comprising oxygen and a
plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize
the microparticles;
(c) directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the microwave-
generated plasma and allowing the microparticles to vaporize to
vapor; and
(d) directing the vapor away from the plasma hot zone and into
a cooler region where the vapor cools, condenses, and oxidizes
to form metal oxide nanoparticles.
2
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Last modified: September 9, 2013