Abstract
Carbon molecules with closed-cage structures are called fullerenes $(C_{60},\;C_{70})$, whose applications include super-conductors, sensors, catalysts, optical and electronic device, polymer composites, and biological and medical materials. The synthesis of fullerenes has been recently studied with low-pressure benzene/argon/oxygen flames. The formation of fullerene is known as molecular weight growth processes of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon). This study presents results of PAHs and fullerene measurements performed in a low-pressure benzene/argon/oxygen normal co-flow laminar diffusion flame. Through the central tube of the burner, benzene vapors carried by argon are injected. The benzene vapors are made in a temperature-controlled bubbler. The burner is located in a chamber, equipped with a sampling system for direct collection of condensable species from the flame, and exhausted to a vacuum pump. Samples of the condensable are analyzed by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) to determine the yields of PAHs and fullerene. Also, we computed mole fraction of fullerene and PAHs in a nearly sooting low pressure premixed, one-dimensional benzene/argon/oxygen flame (equivalence ratio ${\Phi}=2.4$, pressure=5.33kPa). The object of computation was to investigate the formation mechanism of fullerenes and PAHs. The computations were performed with CHEMKIN/PREMIX. As a result of this study, fullerenes were synthesized in a low pressure (20torr) $C_6H_6/Ar/O_2$ flames and the highest concentration of fullerene was detected just above the visible surface of a flame.
