Design of a 3-phase AC Plasma Reactor for Solvent-free Fullerene Synthesis
| dc.contributor.advisor | Chibante, L.P. Felipe | |
| dc.contributor.author | Sarawagi, Anshuman R. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-07-07T18:02:21Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-07-07T18:02:21Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-04 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Fullerenes are spherical carbon molecules with unique chemical and physical properties. A particularly distinctive one is that these molecules have a vapor pressure and can directly sublime from a solid phase to vapor. Since their discovery in 1985, hundreds of articles have been published on numerous synthesis methods. However, a process which is environmentally friendly, continuous, scalable and efficient has yet to be achieved. We propose a system for continuous production of solvent-free manufacture of fullerenes using a novel 3-phase thermal plasma reactor. It is scalable, self-stabilizing, low maintenance and efficient. Helium is used as plasma carrier gas with temperatures >5000°C allowing for vaporization of any carbon feedstock. Fullerene yields of up to ~7 wt% at 1 bar absolute were measured, a higher yield than any other known process. Once the fullerenes are produced, they are then separated using a hot gas sublimation at >600°C which allows for solvent-free separation of fullerenes, resulting in an ultrapure product. Economic analysis of a small pilot reactor indicated a net annual profit of 0.75 million CAD at the pilot scale with a capital investment of 2 million CAD. The cost of sublimed fullerene per gram is estimated to be about ~ 7.8 CAD/g which is substantially lower than its current selling price of 24-102 CAD/g. These results validate the efficiency, scalability, economic feasibility and viability of the process. Hence, the route to environmentally friendly production of solvent-free fullerenes on a commercial scale at affordable prices is soon realizable. | |
| dc.description.copyright | © Anshuman R Sarawagi, 2019 | |
| dc.format.extent | xii, 202 | |
| dc.format.medium | electronic | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/37257 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of New Brunswick | |
| dc.rights | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 | |
| dc.subject.discipline | Chemical Engineering | |
| dc.title | Design of a 3-phase AC Plasma Reactor for Solvent-free Fullerene Synthesis | |
| dc.type | doctoral thesis | |
| oaire.license.condition | other | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Chemical Engineering | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of New Brunswick | |
| thesis.degree.level | doctorate | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. |