Solar process for making fullerenes

• US 5,556,517 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rice University
• Original Assignee: Rice University
• Inventors: Smalley, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): DI MAURO, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US08/483,045
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 423/445 B, 423/DIG. 19, 60/641.8, 60/641.15, 204/157.47
• US Class Current: 204/157.47
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/15 Nano-sized carbon materials
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/154 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 423/19 Geothermal steam purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/842 for carbon nanotubes or fullerenes

Abstract

This invention provides an improved process and apparatus for making fullerenes by vaporizing carbon and conducting the resulting carbon vapor to a dark zone for fullerene growth and annealing. In one embodiment concentrated solar energy is used to vaporize carbon. In a further embodiment, concentrated solar energy may be used to improve fullerene yields by vaporizing carbon and further to prevent carbon cluster formation until the carbon vapor passes into a dark zone for fullerene growth and annealing. The invention provides an improvement to increase the yield of any known process wherein carbon is vaporized under high light conditions, the improvement comprising providing a dark zone for fullerene growth and annealing.

Claims

1. A process for generating fullerenes which comprises:

(a) vaporizing carbon in a vaporization zone by contacting a carbon source with concentrated solar energy in an atmosphere selected to form fullerenes;

(b) establishing a solar energy flux in a separate bright zone at a level sufficient to maintain carbon vapor in a form having carbon clusters of about 30 or less carbon atoms;

(c) passing vaporized carbon from said vaporization zone through said bright zone by establishing a gas flow through said vaporization zone and said bright zone, whereby the carbon vapor in said bright zone expands to provide a lower concentration of carbon in the carbon vapor, and the carbon vapor in said bright zone is maintained in said form; and

(d) passing the vaporized carbon in said form from said bright zone through a dark fullerene growth and annealing zone maintained under conditions to promote both reaction of the carbon in the carbon vapor to form fullerenes, and annealing of fullerenes, by continuing said gas flow through said dark fullerene growth and annealing zone.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vaporizing carbon is accomplished by directing a beam of concentrated solar energy into a vaporization chamber comprising a carbon rod and vaporizing carbon from said carbon rod.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bright zone comprises carbon vapor, concentrated solar energy and an atmosphere selected to form fullerenes.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light intensity in said dark fullerene growth and annealing zone is one-fifth of the light intensity on a vaporizing surface of said carbon source.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein a transporting flow of an atmosphere selected to form fullerenes is established through the vaporization zone toward the fullerene growth and annelaing zone.

6. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the atmosphere selected to form fullerenes is selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and mixtures thereof.

7. A process in accordance with claim 6 wherein said conditions to promote growth and annealing of fullerenes comprise maintaining the dark zone at a temperature in the range of 1200°

to 1500°

C., at a pressure in the range of 1 to 100 Torr and in an atmosphere selected to form fullerenes.

8. A process in accordance with claim 6 wherein the vaporization zone temperature is at least 3000°

C.