Abstract:
A method of producing graphene sheets and plates from graphitic material including (a) mixing graphitic material particles in a liquid medium to form a suspension; (b) compressing the suspension; (c) directing the compressed suspension through a local constriction into an area of reduced pressure to decompress the suspension in less than 2 x 10 -6 second to a pressure less than 20% of the compression pressure, thereby exfoliating graphene sheets and plates from the graphitic material.
Abstract:
Solid materials may be processed using shockwaves produced in a supersonic gaseous vortex. A high]velocity stream of gas may be introduced into a reactor. The reactor may have a chamber, a solid material inlet, a gas inlet, and an outlet. The high]velocity stream of gas may be introduced into the chamber of the reactor through the gas inlet. The high]velocity stream of gas may effectuate a supersonic gaseous vortex within the chamber. The reactor may be configured to facilitate chemical reactions and/or comminution of solid feed material using tensive forces of shockwaves created in the supersonic gaseous vortex within the chamber. Solid material may be fed into the chamber through the solid material inlet. The solid material may be processed within the chamber by nonabrasive mechanisms facilitated by the shockwaves within the chamber. The processed material that is communicated through the outlet of the reactor may be collected.
Abstract:
An implosion reactor tube is provided, including: a receptacle body having a tube shape open at a first end; a cylinder positioned within the receptacle body; a mixing chamber at a second end of the receptacle body; the mixing chamber defined by a baffle; the baffle having a plurality of inner passages proximate to the cylinder allowing fluid passage through the baffle and a plurality of outer passages proximate to the receptacle body allowing passage of air and fuel through said baffle; a fuel and air inlet for allowing the air and fuel to enter the mixing chamber; and a flash igniter for igniting the air and fuel.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. A hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process. An acid washing system is employed to wash the reactor effluent to remove any copper acetylide byproducts that may be present in the reactor effluent, or alternatively to decompose any copper acetylide byproducts that may remain in the reactor after shutdown of the reactor.
Abstract:
Methods and reactors are provided for producing acetylene. The method includes combusting a fuel with oxygen in a combustor to produce a carrier gas, and accelerating the carrier gas to a supersonic speed in a converging/diverging nozzle prior to the carrier gas entering a reaction zone. A nozzle exit temperature of the carrier gas is controlled from 1,200 degrees centigrade (°C) to 2,500 °C by adding a heat sink gas to the carrier gas before the reaction zone, where the heat sink gas is different than the fuel and the oxygen. Methane is added to the carrier gas in the reaction zone, and a shock wave is produced in the reaction zone by adjusting a back pressure such that the methane reacts to form acetylene.
Abstract:
The present invention concerns nanometric-sized ceramic materials in the form of multiple crystalline structures, composites, or solid solutions, the process for their synthesis, and uses thereof. These materials are mainly obtained by detonation of two water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, one of which is prepared with precursors in order to present a detonation regime with temperature lower than 2000°C, and they present a high chemical and crystalline phase homogeneity, individually for each particle, as well as a set of complementary properties adjustable according to the final applications, such as a homogeneous distribution of the primary particles, very high chemical purity level, crystallite size below 50 nm, surface areas by mass unit between 25 and 500 m2/g, and true particle densities higher than 98% of the theoretical density. This set of characteristics makes this materials particularly suitable for a vast range of applications in the nanotechnology field, such as, for example, nanocoatings, magnetic nanofluids, nanocatalysts, nanosensors, nanopigments, nanoadditives, ultra light nanocomposites, drug release nanoparticles, nanomarkers, nanometric films, etc.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for in situ gas-phase formation and deflagration of nitrocellulose. A nitrating agent such as nitric acid and cellulose are delivered separately to a reaction chamber, where a brief heating pulse initiates nitration of the cellulose and deflagration of the nitrocellulose thus produced. Discharge of the high-pressure gases produced by the deflagration from the reaction chamber can then be used to drive an actuator, turbine, etc.