Preparation of tourmaline nano-particles through a hydrothermal process and its infrared emission properties

Tourmaline nano-particles were successfully prepared via a hydrothermal process using HCl as an additive. The reaction temperature (T) and the concentration of HCI (C(HCl)) had effects on the size and morphology of the tourmaline nano-particles. The optimum reaction condition was that: T = 180 degrees C and C(HCl) = 0.1 mol/l. The obtained nano-particles were spherical with the diameter of 48 nm. The far-infrared emissivity of the product was 0.923. The formation mechnism of the tourmaline nano-particles might come from the corrosion of grain boundary between the tourmaline crystals in acidic hydrothermal conditions and then the asymmetric contraction of the crystals.