Self-repairing Technology by Electrophoresis of Ni Nano-Particles for Heat Exchanger Tubes

The electrophoretic deposition process of Ni nano-particles in organic suspension was employed for self-repairing of heat exchanger tubes. For this purpose, Ni nano-particles prepared by levitational gas condensation method were dispersed into the solution of ethanol with the addition of dispersant Hypermer KD2. For electrophoretic deposition of Ni nano-particles on the Ni alloy specimen, constant electric fields of 20 and 100 V $cm^{-1}$ were applied to the specimen in Ni-dispersed solution. It was found that as electrophoretic deposition proceeds, the size of the pit or crack remarkably decreased due to the agglomeration of Ni nano-particles at the pit or crack. This strongly suggests that the electrophoretic mobility of the charged particles is larger for the damaged part with a higher current value rather than outer surfaces with a lower current value.

Ni 나노입자의 전기영동 코팅에 의한 전열관 자가보수 기술 개발