WO2004063404A1

WO2004063404A1 - Apparatus for rapidly making noble metal solution using plasma

Info

Publication number: WO2004063404A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/000938
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yong-Hun Jung; Yong-Gi Jung; Soon-Feel Wee
Original assignee: Nanoadvance Co.,Ltd.
Priority date: 2003-01-10
Filing date: 2003-05-12
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Also published as: KR20040064863A; AU2003230333A1; KR100516328B1

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for rapidly making a noble metal solution using plasma. This apparatus includes a power charging unit for charging electric energy so as to evaporate and ionize a noble metal into plasma, and a pulse energy applying unit for discharging the electric energy, charged in the power charging unit, into a source noble metal submerged under a water solution in a pulse form by use of a rapid switch. This apparatus may make a noble metal solution within several µs to several hundred µs far shorter than the conventional immersion electrolysis method. In addition, this apparatus hardly causes reaction between the noble metal and other ions such as Cl contained in the water solution, so the noble metal solution can be made in not only distilled or purified water but also city water or general water.

Description

APPARATUS FOR RAPIDLY MAKING NOBLE METAL SOLUTION USING

PLASMA

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for making a novel metal solution, and more particularly to an apparatus for rapidly making a novel metal solution by heating a metal wire or film to a plasma temperature in a short time by means of the resistance heating caused by pulse discharge to induce evaporation and ionization of the novel metal.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional device for making a novel metal solution such as silver or gold solution generally adopts immersion electrolysis. The novel metal solution making device adopting the immersion electrolysis is easily manufactured and widely spread for household use, but shows various problems in economic and utility aspects. For example, a conventional silver solution making device using immersion electrolysis requires a long time of 20 to 60 minutes on the average to make a silver solution with water of 120 to 250CC. In addition, while the silver solution is made using the immersion electrolysis, the silver solution is contacted with air and exposed to visible rays, so sterilizing ability and other properties specific to the silver solution may be deteriorated. Moreover, since only purified water (or, distilled water) is possibly used as the solvent water, the conventional device additionally needs an equipment capable of supplying the purified water to the novel metal solution making device. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is designed to solve the problems of the prior art, and therefore an object of the invention is to provide a device for rapidly making a novel metal solution, which is capable of making a novel metal solution in a very short time without deteriorating properties of the novel metal solution by using a plasma method, instead of the conventional electrolysis method.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma, which includes a power charging unit for charging electric energy to resolve a novel metal into plasma; and a pulse energy applying unit for discharging the electric energy charged in the power charging unit toward a source novel metal submerged under a water solvent in a pulse shape so that the source novel metal is resolved in the plasma state by resistance heating and then dispersed into the water solvent. Preferably, the apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma may further include a pair of conductive connection members, one ends of which are electrically connected to the pulse energy applying unit, and the other ends of which are electrically connected to the source novel metal used for making a novel metal solution.

At this time, the conductive connection member may have a shape of rod, polygonal prism or a circular prism.

In the present invention, the novel metal is preferably Ag or Au, and it also preferably has a wire or film shape. At this time, in case the source novel metal has a wire shape, the wire preferably has a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 Φ and a length of 50 to 300 mm so as to maximize the resistance heating effect even at a low voltage below 1000V. In addition, in case the source novel metal has a film shape, the resistance of the film is preferably the same as that of a wire-shaped novel metal having a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1Φ and a length of 50 to 300 mm so as to maximize the resistance heating effect even at a low voltage below 1000N.

The apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma of the present invention may further include a water solvent receiving unit for receiving a predetermined volume of the water solvent; and a water solvent receiving unit cover provided on a top of the water solvent receiving unit for preventing the water solvent from being exposed to extemal air, the cover having a through hole therein so that one end of the conductive connection member is inserted therein and the other end of the conductive connection member is exposed thereabove.

In the apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma of the present invention, the power charging unit preferably includes a transformer for boosting an extemal AC voltage to a corresponding level; a rectifier for rectifying the voltage boosted by the transformer into DC voltage; and a mass storage charger for charging the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier.

In the apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma of the present invention, the pulse energy applying unit preferably includes a mass storage rapid switch having an on/off switching time within 100 μs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a device for rapidly making a novel metal solution using plasma according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a power charging unit and a pulse energy applying unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view for illustrating the process of making a novel metal solution by the novel metal solution making apparatus using plasma according to the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments according to the present invention may have various modifications, and the scope of the invention should not be interpreted to be limited to the proposed embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are provided just for the purpose of giving better illustrations to those ordinary skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an apparatus for rapidly making a novel metal solution using plasma according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the novel metal solution making apparatus 10 of the present invention includes a power charging unit 20 for charging electric energy used for resolving a novel metal into plasma with the use of extemal power source, and a pulse energy applying unit 30 for discharging the electric energy charged in the power charging unit 20 toward a source novel metal 50 submerged in a water solvent 40 in a pulse shape so that the source novel metal 50 may be resolved in the plasma state by means of resistance heating and dispersed regularly into the water solvent 40.

In the present invention, the source novel metal 50 is preferably silver (Ag) or gold (Au), but not limited to those. In addition, the source novel metal 50 preferably has a wire or film shape, which is geometrically capable of having big resistance, since it should be resolved in the plasma state by means of great resistance heating.

The novel metal solution making apparatus 10 of the present invention may further include a pair of first and second conductive connection members 60a and 60b, one ends of which are electrically connected to the pulse energy applying unit 30, and the other ends of which are electrically connected to the source novel metal 50 used for making a novel metal solution. At this time, the source novel metal 50 may be electrically comiected to the first and second conductive comiection members 60a and 60b by means of clips or bolts. Here, the first and second conductive connection members 60a and 60b preferably have a shape of rod, polygonal prism or circular prism. The novel metal solution making apparatus 10 of the present invention may further include a water solvent receiving unit 70 for receiving a predetermined volume of the water solvent 40, and a water solvent receiving unit cover 80 provided on the top of the water solvent receiving unit 70 to prevent the water solvent from being exposed to extemal air. The water solvent receiving unit cover 80 has through holes through which the conductive connection members 60a and 60b may be inserted so that their one ends are exposed above (see A in FIG. 1). In this case, the first and second conductive connection members 60a and 60b are preferably inserted into the water solvent receiving unit cover 80 either fixedly or detachably.

More preferably, the novel metal solution making apparatus 10 according to the present invention has a vortex ring 90 installed to extend from a lower portion of the water solvent receiving unit cover 80. The vortex ring 90 surrounds the first and second conductive connection members 60a and 60b, and its lower end is open.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram schematically showing the power charging unit 20 and the pulse energy applying unit 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the power charging unit 20 of this embodiment includes an on/off switching unit 100 for the extemal power source, a transformer 110 for boosting extemal power to a corresponding level, a rectifier 120 for rectifying the voltage boosted by the transformer 110 into DC voltage, and a charger 130 for charging mass storage of the DC voltage rectified by, for example, a bridge diode, an DC voltage charging resistance 125 and the rectifier 120.

In addition, the pulse energy applying unit 30 of this embodiment includes a transformer 140 for increasing a supply voltage level from extemal power source, a rectifier 150 for rectifying the voltage whose level is increased by the transformer 140 into DC voltage, an on/off switching unit 170 and a resistance 175 for supplying the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier 150 to a mass storage rapid switching unit 160, a small storage rapid switching unit 180, resistances 190 and 200, and a small storage capacitor 210. Now, a process of making a novel metal solution with the use of the novel metal solution making apparatus 10 using plasma described above, and operations of the apparatus are described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

First, the water solvent receiving unit cover 80 is opened, and then a certain amount of source novel metal 50 having a wire or film shape is connected between the first and second conductive connection members 60a and 60b (see (a) and (b) of FIG. 3).

Then, a certain amount of water solvent is put into the water solvent receiving unit 70

(see (b) of FIG. 3). At this time, dimensions of the source novel metal 50 are changed depending on concentration of the novel metal solution to be made. In case the novel metal is silver having a wire shape, dimensions depending on the concentration of the novel metal solution are represented in the following table 1, based on 180 cc.

Table 1

Subsequently, a charged voltage of the power charging unit 20 and a capacity of the charger 130 are suitably controlled according to evaporation energy depending on the volume of the source novel metal 50. For example, in case the source novel metal 50 is silver, the evaporation energy may be calculated with the use of thermodynamic data as shown in the following table 2.

Table 2

As mentioned above, if the charged voltage of the power charging unit 20 and the capacity of the mass storage charging unit 130 are set according to an evaporation energy value of the source novel metal 50, the on/off switching unit 100 of the power charging unit 20 is turned on. Then, the extemal voltage is boosted by the transformer 110, and rectified into DC voltage through the rectifier 120, and then the rectified DC voltage is charged into the mass storage charging unit 130.

At this time, if the on off switching unit 170 for pulse discharging is turned on, the mass storage rapid switch 160 is operated, and the electric energy charged in the mass storage charging unit 130 is pulse-discharged to the source novel metal 50 in a form of high current during a time less than several μs to several hundred μs. At this time, the mass storage rapid switch preferably has an on/off switching time less than lOOμs in order to generate the high current in a form of pulse. If the high current is discharged as above, resistance heating effect is shown due to the bottleneck phenomenon of electrons at the source novel metal 50, so the temperature of the source novel metal 50 reaches the plasma temperature and experiences abrupt evaporation and ionization of silver. In an initial stage of the evaporation and ionization, the source novel metal 50 is restricted by a certain pressure due to the pinch effects and the law of inertia. And then, if the pressure exceeds a critical point, the source novel metal 50 is exploded. Directly after the explosion, the source novel metal is abruptly cooled by means of the adiabatic effects, and particles and ions of the novel metal are dispersed into the water solvent 40, thereby obtaining a solution in which the novel metal is dispersed.

In the present invention, in case the source novel metal 50 has a wire shape, it is preferred that the diameter of the novel metal is small. For example, if the diameter of the source novel metal 50 is 0.005 to 0.1Φ, it is possible to maximize the resistance heating effect even at a low voltage below 1000V and thus possibly increase the temperature of the novel metal to a plasma temperature of the source novel metal 50.

Meanwhile, if the source novel metal 50 is heated to the plasma temperature due to the resistance heating within a short time and then evaporated and ionized, an abrupt change of volume of the source novel metal 50 is induced, thereby arising an explosion sound. However, if the volume of the source novel metal 50 is decreased as mentioned above to resultantly reduce the discharging voltage actually used, the explosion sound of the source novel metal 50 is nearly not generated during the pulse discharging since the pressure change near the source novel metal 50 is enough small not to induce the loud explosion sound. In particular, a solid is generally expanded at least 1760 times when being evaporated into vapor. Thus, if the dimension of the source novel metal 50 is reduced so as to make its volume into 1/25 to 1/1000, the vapor volume is reduced as much as the reduced volume of the source novel metal 50 when the source novel metal 50 is evaporated. Thus, it is possible to remarkably reduce the explosion sound generated when the source novel metal 50 is evaporated and ionized in the plasma state. The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The apparatus for rapidly making a novel metal solution using plasma according to the present invention, described above, shows the following advantages, when compared with the conventional novel metal solution making device adopting the immersion electrolysis.

First, the novel metal solution making apparatus of the present invention is capable of making a novel metal solution within a time of several μs to several hundred μs by means of the plasma method, which is much shorter than the conventional silver solution making device adopting the electrolysis, which requires 20 to 60 minutes for making a silver solution. Thus, if using the apparatus of the present invention, there is no need to store the novel metal solution since the novel metal solution may be made instantly as required. Accordingly, the present invention is not required for storing a novel metal solution, so it is possible to prevent capability of the novel metal solution from being deteriorated during the storage period, without needing a storage tank. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to suitably apply a novel metal solution not only to a sterilized water for medical treatment but also to water for washing, bathing and cleaning in a simple way. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention may be used for supplying a water for raising various crops.

Second, in case a source novel metal, which is a consumption goods used for the novel metal solution making apparatus of the present invention, is a silver wire having a diameter of 0.05Φ and a length of 50mm, the apparatus of the present invention may make a silver solution having a concentration of 3 to 5 ppm to a water solvent of 180cc. A total weight of the silver wire substantially consumed for 1,000 time uses is extremely small, about 1 to 1.5g. However, when experimented in the same conditions, the conventional novel metal solution device adopting the immersion electrolysis uses the silver rod just 300 to 400 times, thereby consuming a relatively more cost for the consumption goods. Resultantly, the novel metal solution making apparatus using plasma according to the present invention consumes just 1/3 to 1/4 costs for the consumption goods, compared with the conventional electrolysis method, so it may be regarded to have a benefit in an economic aspect.

Third, since the process of actually making a novel metal solution is completed in several μs to several hundred μs, it is possible to use a common water, a service water and a purifier water as well as a distilled water and a purified water. Since the reaction is experienced within a very short time, there is substantially no time for reacting with other ions contained in the service water or the like, so silver chloride (AgCl) having toxic components and other byproducts such as silver oxide showing inferior effects are nearly not generated. The apparatus of the present invention is rather capable of making a novel metal solution with sterilizing harmful bacteria remaining in the common water since ozone is generated by plasma when rapidly making the novel metal solution. Fourth, without purchasing expensive silver products, e.g., a silver panty, a silver soap, a silver shampoo, a silver humidifier, a silver washer, a silver sock, a nano silver nursing bottle or the like which are made by coating, adding or applying the silver sold at a market, similar products having substantially identical effects may be obtained by making a silver solution with the use of the novel metal solution making apparatus using plasma according to the present invention and then spraying the novel metal solution to the products mentioned above or adding the novel metal solution thereto while the products are rinsed. In addition, if a small amount of silver solution is diluted to a general nursing bottle and preserved for a long time, the nursing bottle shows substantially identical effects to the nano silver nursing bottle on which silver nano particles are coated, which may be purchased in the market.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma, comprising: a power charging unit for charging electric energy to resolve a novel metal into plasma; and a pulse energy applying unit for discharging the electric energy charged in the power charging unit toward a source novel metal submerged under a water solvent in a pulse shape so that the source novel metal is resolved in the plasma state by resistance heating and then dispersed into the water solvent.

2. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of conductive connection members, one ends of which are electrically connected to the pulse energy applying unit, and the other ends of which are electrically connected to the source novel metal used for making a novel metal solution.

3. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 2, wherein the conductive connection member has a shape of rod, polygonal prism or a circular prism.

4. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 1, wherein the novel metal is Ag or Au.

5. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 1, wherein the source novel metal has a wire or film shape.

6. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 5, wherein, in case the source novel metal has a wire shape, the wire has a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 Φ and a length of 50 to 300 mm so as to maximize the resistance heating effect even at a low voltage below 1000V.

7. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 5, wherein, in case the source novel metal has a film shape, resistance of the film is the same as that of a wire-shaped novel metal having a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 Φ and a length of 50 to 300 mm so as to maximize the resistance heating effect even at a low voltage below 1000V.

8. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a water solvent receiving unit for receiving a predetermined volume of the water solvent; and a water solvent receiving unit cover provided on a top of the water solvent receiving unit for preventing the water solvent from being exposed to extemal air, the cover having a through hole therein so that one end of the conductive connection member is inserted therein and the other end of the conductive connection member is exposed thereabove.

9. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 1, wherein the power charging unit includes: a transformer for boosting an extemal AC voltage to a corresponding level; a rectifier for rectifying the voltage boosted by the transformer into DC voltage; and a mass storage charger for charging the DC voltage rectified by the rectifier.

10. An apparatus for making a novel metal solution using plasma according to claim 1, wherein the pulse energy applying unit includes a mass storage rapid switch having an on/off switching time within 100 μs.