US Patent 8006703 - In situ synthesis of composite nanoscale particles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8006703.html

This patent from Philip Morris teaches a fabrication method for metal or metal oxide composite nanoparticles useful for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide in smoking products (e.g. cigarettes, cigars). Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of making composite nanoscale particles comprising:

subjecting a starting material to laser energy so as to form a vapor and

condensing the vapor so as to form the composite nanoscale particles,

wherein said composite nanoscale particles comprise a first metal and/or a first metal oxide incorporated in nanoscale particles of an oxide of a second metal, the first metal being different than the second metal, wherein the second metal is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ge, Y, Zr, Nb, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Sn, Ce, Pr, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir and Au, and wherein the starting material comprises the first metal oxide and/or the second metal oxide.