Abstract: A fine particle comprising a core and a coating, wherein the coating comprises a substantially monomolecular layer of organic molecules. The fine particle being produced by a process comprising introducing a core material into a plasma stream, thereby vaporizing some or all of the core material; cooling the core material downstream from where the core material was introduced thereby creating particles of the core material; and coating the particles of the core material with organic molecules in an injection zone, wherein the injection zone is downstream of a region where the particles of core material are formed, or wherein the cooled particles of core material are coated with organic molecules in a coating chamber by applying a liquid coating material and/or a solution of coating material to the core material; where in the coating chamber is downstream of a region wherein the particles of core material are formed.

Abstract: A fine particle comprising a core and a coating, wherein the coating comprises a substantially monomolecular layer of organic molecules. The fine particle being produced by a process comprising introducing a core material into a plasma stream, thereby vapourising some or all of the core material; cooling the core material downstream from where the core material was introduced thereby creating particles of the core material; and coating the particles of the core material with organic molecules in an injection zone, wherein the injection zone is downstream of a region where the particles of core material are formed, or wherein the cooled particles of core material are coated with organic molecules in a coating chamber by applying a liquid coating material and/or a solution of coating material to the core material; where in the coating chamber is downstream of a region wherein the particles of core material are formed.

Abstract: A method for removing one or more substances from a starting material comprising a metal, a semi-metal, a metal compound or a semi-metal compound comprises the steps of mixing fine particles of said starting material with a reagent Y and heating the starting material so as to effect a diffucion interface between the starting material and the reagent Y such that the one or more substances migrate from the nanoparticle to reagent Y. Purified metal or semi-metal particles are thereby produced. The method can be used for the production of photovoltaic grade silicon.