The Rotating Plasma Source (RPS) as an innovative tool to synthesize fine powder for industrial applications

Using a charged gas or physical plasma to sputter low-cost metals such as copper then attaching them to silica matrices produces compounds that have properties similar to precious metals. 1 In this work, this type of material is synthesized using an RF rotating plasma source where copper foils are enclosed by a cylindrical glass vacuum chamber that rotates to uniformly sputter the copper into the silica fine powder inside the chamber. Possible applications for such composites are in the catalysts industry and in the microelectronics components fabrication industry. The design parameters to optimize the production process will be discussed as well as any further modifications to accommodate future applications