A wire explosion assembly configured to form nanoparticles by exploding at least a segment of an electrically conductive wire, the wire explosion assembly comprising: a spool supporting the electrically conductive wire; a vessel defining a wire explosion chamber; a wire clamping assembly rotatably housed in the wire explosion chamber for pulling the electrically conductive wire off of the spool and applying constant tension on the segment of the electrically conductive wire; a power source for delivering an electrical current to the segment of the electrically conductive wire tensioned with a constant tension by the wire clamping assembly, the electrical current configured to explode the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the nanoparticles; wherein the wire clamping assembly further comprises: a winding and tensioning member; at least a first clamp assembly and a second clamp assembly coupled to the winding and tensioning member; and a wire guide (132; 135) coupled to the winding and tensioning member between the at least first and second clamp assemblies, the at least first and second clamp assemblies each configured to move between a clamped position and a disengaged position, wherein rotation of the wire clamping assembly is configured to pull the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the wire explosion chamber and wind the segment of the electrically conductive wire around at least a portion of winding and tensioning member to apply the tension to the segment of the electrically conductive wire, and wherein, when the at least first and second clamp assemblies are in the clamped position, the segment of the electrically conductive wire extends between the wire guide and one of the at least first and second clamp assemblies. a spool supporting the electrically conductive wire; a vessel defining a wire explosion chamber; a wire clamping assembly rotatably housed in the wire explosion chamber for pulling the electrically conductive wire off of the spool and applying constant tension on the segment of the electrically conductive wire; a power source for delivering an electrical current to the segment of the electrically conductive wire tensioned with a constant tension by the wire clamping assembly, the electrical current configured to explode the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the nanoparticles; wherein the wire clamping assembly further comprises: a winding and tensioning member; at least a first clamp assembly and a second clamp assembly coupled to the winding and tensioning member; and a wire guide (132; 135) coupled to the winding and tensioning member between the at least first and second clamp assemblies, the at least first and second clamp assemblies each configured to move between a clamped position and a disengaged position, wherein rotation of the wire clamping assembly is configured to pull the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the wire explosion chamber and wind the segment of the electrically conductive wire around at least a portion of winding and tensioning member to apply the tension to the segment of the electrically conductive wire, and wherein, when the at least first and second clamp assemblies are in the clamped position, the segment of the electrically conductive wire extends between the wire guide and one of the at least first and second clamp assemblies. a winding and tensioning member; at least a first clamp assembly and a second clamp assembly coupled to the winding and tensioning member; and a wire guide (132; 135) coupled to the winding and tensioning member between the at least first and second clamp assemblies, the at least first and second clamp assemblies each configured to move between a clamped position and a disengaged position, wherein rotation of the wire clamping assembly is configured to pull the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the wire explosion chamber and wind the segment of the electrically conductive wire around at least a portion of winding and tensioning member to apply the tension to the segment of the electrically conductive wire, and wherein, when the at least first and second clamp assemblies are in the clamped position, the segment of the electrically conductive wire extends between the wire guide and one of the at least first and second clamp assemblies. wherein rotation of the wire clamping assembly is configured to pull the segment of the electrically conductive wire into the wire explosion chamber and wind the segment of the electrically conductive wire around at least a portion of winding and tensioning member to apply the tension to the segment of the electrically conductive wire, and wherein, when the at least first and second clamp assemblies are in the clamped position, the segment of the electrically conductive wire extends between the wire guide and one of the at least first and second clamp assemblies.