Numerical investigation of cooling effect on platinum nanoparticle formation in inductively coupled thermal plasmas

A mathematical model is developed to simulate the comprehensive systems of platinum nanoparticle synthesis using an argon inductively coupled thermal plasma flow with forced cooling portions. Numerical investigation using the model is conducted to clarify and discuss the effects of several cooling methods on the formation mechanisms of nanoparticles in distinctive thermofluid fields with strong two dimensionality. The computational results show that cooling by a radial gas injection, and a counterflow, engenders the remarkable promotion of nanoparticles. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.