Experimental and numerical investigation on in-flight synthesis of Ga-doped ZnO nano-powder by Radio-Frequency induction plasma

In this work, in-flight synthesis route of Ga doped ZnO (GZO) nano-powders was investigated experimentally and numerically, using Radio-Frequency (RF) induction plasmas. For experimental study, mixture of micron-sized ZnO and Ga₂O₃ powders were treated by RF induction plasmas, then, the as-treated powders were retrieved from reactor bottom and filtration for characterization. For numerical study, single particle model was combined with two-dimensional simulation code of RF induction plasma to predict the particle behaviors of ZnO and Ga₂O₃ depending on their sizes. First, experimental results showed that filtration-retrieved powders were characterized as GZO nano-powders although gallium content can be decreased due to Ga₂O₃ decomposition into sub-oxides at the elevated temperatures. From reactor bottom, however, spherical structures consisting of Ga₂O₃ and ZnO particles were observed in sub-millimeter sizes. Numerical results predicted that micron-sized (≤ 10 ㎛) ZnO and Ga₂O₃ particles can vaporize easily during the flight of plasma, while particles with the sizes of 25~100 um were simulated to be partially evaporated or unevaporated. Comparing these experimental and numerical results indicates that GZO nano-powders can be synthesized from vapor species of ZnO and Ga₂O₃, which are primarily produced by in-flight treatment of micron-sized ZnO and Ga₂O₃ powders in RF induction plasmas.