Production and modification of hollow powders in plasma under controlled pressure

Conducting plasma processes under high or low pressure is an efficient way to affect the heat, mass and momentum exchange in a two-phase flow and this technique is widely used in such well-developed technologies as low-pressure plasma spraying (LPPS) and high pressure plasma-chemical processes. In addition operating pressure is a key parameter in novel plasma process for modification of hollow powders properties. Plasma processing of porous ceramic powders is an effective method of producing hollow spheres (HOSP) with predefined properties. Regardless the method hollow powders were produced their geometric and structural properties can be adjusted by re-melting in plasma of certain pressure: low pressure processing will expand hollow spheres and high pressure - contract it. Regulating the outer diameter of hollow sphere allows adjusting its shell thickness, apparent density, gas pressure in the cavity etc. Preliminary experiments with zirconia hollow powders demonstrated good agreement with theoretical estimations of HOSP properties. The same technique can be used for adjusting properties of ceramic hollow powders produced by different methods, including cost effective fly-ash particles (cenospheres).