Patent ID: 7794521

Claim:
A process for producing chain agglomerations of nano-scale transition metal particles, comprising: a) providing a reactor vessel having a resistance heater positioned therein; b) feeding into the reactor vessel at least one decomposable moiety comprising a transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, noble metals, and mixtures and combinations thereof, the decomposable moiety selected from the group consisting of organometallic compounds, metal complexes, metal coordination compounds and mixtures thereof into a reactor vessel having a resistance heater positioned therein; c) heating the resistance heater to a temperature sufficient to decompose the moiety, but no greater than 500° C.; and d) exposing the decomposable moiety to the resistance heater, which is at a temperature sufficient to decompose the moiety, but no greater than 500° C., such that the resistance heater provides a point of contact for the decomposition of the decomposable moiety to form nano-scale transition metal particles on said resistance heater after which decomposition occurs on the previously formed particles to produce at least one chain agglomeration of nano-scale metal particles, wherein the nano-scale metal particles have an average diameter of no greater than 250 nm and an aspect ratio of 1.4 or less, and the chain agglomerations have an aspect ratio of at least 700:1.