Inventors:
Jeffrey A. Eastman - Woodridge IL
Mindy N. Rittner - Des Plaines IL
Carl J. Youngdahl - Westmont IL
Julia R. Weertman - Evanston IL
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy - Washington DC
International Classification:
B22F 100
B22F 900
Abstract:
A process for producing multi-component and multiphase nanophase materials is provided wherein a plurality of elements are vaporized in a controlled atmosphere, so as to facilitate thorough mixing, and then condensing and consolidating the elements. The invention also provides for a multicomponent and multiphase nanocrystalline material of specified elemental and phase composition having component grain sizes of between approximately 1 nm and 100 nm. This material is a single element in combination with a binary compound. In more specific embodiments, the single element in this material can be a transition metal element, a non-transition metal element, a semiconductor, or a semi-metal, and the binary compound in this material can be an intermetallic, an oxide, a nitride, a hydride, a chloride, or other compound.