Abstract
Eleven kinds of metals, i.e. Al, Ti, V, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta and W, were adopted as electrodes and atomized by utilizing discharge taking place between electrodes of the same metal set in deionized water. By examining the composition of produced particles, the metals could be classified into two groups; from the group consisting of the metals/Zr, Al, V, Nb, Fe, Ta, Ti/oxides were produced, and from the group consisting of the metals/Mo, W, Ni, Cu/oxides were not obtained. The produced particles showed various shapes which were peculiar to each metal. From the observation of discharge behaviour, it was found that an electrolysis and a transient arc discharge take place alternatively in all of the metals. In the case Zr, ZrO2 which provides an additional short period of stable arc discharge and finally an insulating state was observed at the edge surface of the cathode.
