Method and apparatus for producing complex carbon molecules

A method for producing complex carbon molecules comprising:

• a. establishing an enclosed volume for containment of at least a low pressure gas and plasma;
• b. providing within said enclosed volume a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure formed as a grid within said first conductive structure that is highly transparent to flowing ions and electrons;
• c. flowing at a controlled rate a neutral gas mixture of a carbon based gas and a buffer gas;
• d. biasing said second conductive structure to a negative voltage relative to said first conductive structure and applying one of continuous regulated direct current or repetitive pulsed current to said first conductive structure;
• e. applying electrical power at a negative voltage to said second conductive structure at a value sufficient to create a plasma discharge and cause a reaction comprising a dissociation of said carbon based gas, and creating an electrical potential structure within the enclosed volume such that higher mass reaction products are preferentially concentrated at the center of the volume;
• and
• f. causing said gaseous reaction products to recombine to form a carbon soot containing fullerenes within said volume.

A method for complex carbon molecule production, using one or more vessels producing intense heating of carbonaceous gas, containment of the more massive atomic and molecular species, separation of the less massive atomic or molecular species, a plasma jet of the various species, ejection of the jet from the plasma producing vessel into a “soot” collection vessel equipped with a “soot” removal apparatus which preserves the lower operating pressure of said vessels, said method comprising:

• a. operating a first conductive structure as a first gas containment vessel with a wall portion having at least a first opening to allow a plasma jet to escape from within said vessel;
• b. forming a second conductive structure as a grid within said first conductive structure that is highly transparent to flowing ions and electrons, said second conductive structure being operative to act like a cathode grid when biased to a negative voltage and having a second opening in said grid-type structure, said second opening being enlarged and operative to distort a local electrical potential surface such that a plasma jet flows out from inside the grid through said second opening;
• c. flowing at a controlled rate a neutral gas mixture containing carbonaceous species and non-chemically reactive buffer gas into said gas containment vessel;
• d. providing electrical power at a negative voltage from a power source to said cathode grid at a value sufficient to create a plasma discharge;
• e. causing plasma formed within said vessel to emerge from the vessel as a plasma jet and enters a second vessel;
• f. a second gas containment vessel to which one or more of said first gas containment vessels are hermetically attached such that the jets emerging from the vessels are directed into the second vessel;
• and
• g. decelerating the jet plumes within the second gas containment vessel so that the micro-particles or large fullerene molecules or “soot” will precipitate as fullerene particles.