Viability of Ultrasonic Sonochemical processing for nanostructures: Case study of Aluminum-crystal growth and Poly (vinylpyrrolidone)-graphitization

TL;DR

This study explores ultrasonic sonochemistry's potential for producing air-stable aluminum-PVP composites, focusing on process enhancement, crystallization, and material fragmentation, with implications for fuel applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel ultrasonic processing method for rapid fabrication of stable aluminum-PVP nanocomposites with specific structural properties.

Findings

Successful aluminum crystal growth via sonochemistry.

Achieved PVP-graphitization at controlled temperatures.

Produced 10 g of air-stable aluminum-PVP composite.

Abstract

The viability of ultrasonic sonochemistry is investigated in the context of delivering air-stable metallic Al rich-PVP composite. The parameters investigated are; sono-(1) process intensification, (2) crystallization, (3) agglomeration, and (4) fragmentation, respectively. The conventional solvent of n-hexadecane is employed as the sonotrode generated pressure transmitting medium to carry out the above experiments. Two precursors, (1) Poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and (2) Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) are chosen to evaluate and demonstrate the viability of the ultrasonic induced processing. Temperature controlled investigations at RT and higher temperature help in achieving; (a) PVP-graphitization, and (b) Al-crystal growth phenomenon, respectively. The current experiments aid in helping to isolate and identify actual mechanistic happenings. The investigation, thus, has a fabrication protocol of shortened processing-duration, native amorphous oxide-free, metal-rich air-stable product that leads to 10 g of composite product for fuel applications.