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US 5,227,038 AGranted
Electric arc process for making fullerenes
AssigneeWilliam Marsh Rice University
InventorsRichard E. Smalley, Robert E. Haufler
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Abstract
This invention provides a method of generating fullerenes by vaporizing carbon with the heat from an electrical arc and then condensing a soot from which fullerenes may be recovered.
Claims19
A process for making fullerenes comprising:
- (a) providing a carbon vapor generation zone which comprises a first electrode and a second electrode,
- (b) maintaining the carbon vapor generation zone in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an atmosphere selected to form fullerene molecules,
- (c) applying sufficient electrical voltage to the first electrode to maintain an electrical arc between the first electrode and the second electrode,
- (d) providing a carbon source in close proximity to the electrical arc, so that the carbon source is heated by the electrical arc to form a carbon vapor,
- (e) passing the carbon vapor to a fullerene condensing zone where the carbon vapor is condensed into a solid carbon soot, and
- (f) recovering fullerenes from the carbon soot.
3 more elements
A process for making fullerenes comprising vaporizing carbon with a plasma in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an atmosphere that promotes fullerene growth and formation thereby forming fullerenes and recovering said fullerenes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.