At Carnegie Mellon University, Prof. McHenry's recent efforts have evolved from the study of carbon-coated magnetic nanocrystals produced by the Kratschmer-Huffman carbon arc method and fine particle magnetism in the same. This lead to studies of the plasma torch synthesis of metallic, C-coated, oxide, carbide and nitride nanoparticles. Most recently reactive gas plasma torch synthesis has been used to produce nanocrystalline ferrite materials for high frequency applications. The surface structure, and its influence on properties, is being studied in faceted ferrite nanoparticles.
