Effects of process parameters on ultrafine SiC synthesis using induction plasmas

A study is reported of the formation of ultrafine SiC powder through the reaction of elemental silicon and CH₄ in an induction plasma. The reaction route used involved in the first place the vaporization of a fine elemental silicon powder axially injected into the center of the discharge followed by the carburization reaction through the coinjection of CH₄. The powder obtained was composed of a mixture of α- and β-SiC with varying amounts of free carbon and free silicon. The particle size distribution was typically in the range of 40–60 nm with a corresponding specific surface area of 30–50 m²/g. A parametric study showed that the quality of the powder obtained varied with the plasma plate power and the position of the injection probe. The plasma gas composition employed was found to influence the proportions of α- and β-SiC in the synthesized SiC powder. With an Ar/N₂ mixture as the plasma gas, the ratio of the α to β phases was less than 1.0, whereas the ratio was greater than 1.5 when using a mixture of Ar/H₂ as plasma gas. The Si powder feed rate and the input C/Si molar ratio in the injected reactants significantly affected both the formation of the SiC and the free Si and free C content in the synthesized powder. Lining the cylindrical reactor wall with graphite resulted in improved conversion of Si to SiC. The weight fraction of the powder collected at different sections of the reactor system varied with the reactor operating conditions. The experimental results support the view that the formation mechanism for ultrafine SiC is dominated by the reaction of Si vapor with the thermal decomposition products of CH₄.     

Thermodynamical modeling of silicon carbide synthesis in thermal plasma

The synthesis process of solid SiC in thermal plasma was investigated theoretically by computing the equilibrium composition of the gas mixtures involving silicon and carbon in the presence of argon and hydrogen at various silicon/carbon amounts and at two different total pressures in the system, in the temperature range between 1000 and 6000 K. Use is made of the fact that a thermal plasma, by definition, is a plasma in (local) thermodynamical equilibrium, which makes possible the theoretical determination of its equilibrium composition at definite temperature by employing Gibbs free energy data for the compounds present in the system. From the calculated compositions of the investigated gas systems the temperature-composition phase diagrams were obtained. Using these data the temperature zones with saturated and/or oversaturated vapour of SiC as well as of Si and C were determined and the possibility of the formation of SiC in the solid state via different reaction routes was analyzed This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

碳化硅单晶材料的溶剂热合成与表征

SiC single crystals have been prepared by the method of solvothermal synthesis with a system of SiCl4, CCl4 and metal K in an auto clave. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) were used to characterize the products. XRD reveals that the products are SiC crystals and TEM exhibits that SiC single crystal sofwires and platelets are obtained under different usages of metal K. The SiC wires have diameters of 10～20 nm and length up to 1.5μm; the platelets have lateral dimensions of 0.1～3 μm, exhibiting regular polygonal shapes and step-bunched side surface. Furthermore, the growth mechanism of the SiC single crystals is discussed and the effect of super saturation on the crystal growth and morphology is also investigated.     

碳化硅纳米晶须的微波合成

SiC nanometer whisker, whose diameter was about 50nm and purity was 98.54%, was synthesized by microwave heating in an atmosphere of argon. Char pyrolyzed phenolformaldehyde resin and SiO2 nanometer powder were used as starting materials. The properties of the whisker were determined by XRD and TEM. The mechanism for synthesizing SiC nanometer whisker was discussed.     

Application studies of activated carbon derived from rice husks produced by chemical-thermal process--a review

The production of functional activated carbon materials starting from cheap natural precursors using environmentally friendly processes is a highly attractive subject in material chemistry today. Recently, much attention has been focused on the use of plant biomass to produce functional carbonaceous materials, encompassing economic, environmental and social issues. Besides the classical route to produce activated carbons from fossil materials, rice husk shows clear advantages in that it can generate a variety of cheap and sustainable carbonaceous materials with attractive nanostructure and functional patterns for a wide range of applications. From a comprehensive literature review, it was found that porous carbon that derived from rice husks, in addition to having wide availability, has fast kinetics and appreciable adsorption capacities too. Porous carbon materials also play a significant role in new applications such as catalytic supports, battery electrodes, capacitors, and gas storage. In this review, an extensive list of rice husks literature has been compiled. Conclusions have been drawn from the literature reviewed, and suggestions for future research are proposed.     

Nanoparticle formation using a plasma expansion process

We describe a process in which nanosize particles with u narrow size distribution are generated by expanding a thermal plasma carrying vapor-phase precursors through a nozzle. The plasma temperature and velocity profiles are characterized by enthalpy probe measurements. by calorimetric energy balances. and by a model of the nozzle flow. Aerosol samples are extracted from the flow downstream of the nozzle by means of a capillary probe interfaced to a two-stage ejection diluter. The diluted aerosol is directed to a scanning electrical mobility spectrometer (SEMS) which provides on-line size distributions down to particle diameters of 4 nmt. We have generated silicon, carbon, and silicon carbide particles with number mean diameters of about 10 not or less, and we have obtained some correlations between the product and the operating conditions. Inspection of the size distributions obtained in the experiments, together with the modeling results, suggests that under our conditions silicon carbide formation is initiated by nucleation of extremely small silicon particles from supersaturated silicon vapor, followed by chemical reactions at the particle surfaces involving carbon-containing species from the gas phase.     

Synthesis of aluminum nitride in transferred arc plasma furnaces

Ultrafine particles of aluminum tnitride (AIN) arc produced by a transferred an plasma. Two devices are used: a transferred arc plasma on aluminum natal in nitrogen or nitrogenlammonia atmospheres, and a item concept of transferred arc plasma when, DC anode and cathode ares are coupled together above an alumintun melt. Equilibrium chemical compositions mere calculated. The temperature distributions in the plasma are measured hr emission spectroscopy Flit, powder, made from 99.8%, aluminum ingot, it as analyzed and confirmed to be 99.3%, of hexagonal phase aluminum nitride. In othertests, from 99.99% aluminum ingot, a translucent AIN vinter was obtained. The densification behavior was assessed by hot pressing and by pressureless sintering, with and without additives. The thermal conductivities are given.     

Mixing study of the induction plasma reactor: Part I. Axial injection mode

A systematic study of the gas-mixing pattern in an induction plasma reactor under atmospheric and low pressure conditions is reported. Different reactor configurations were investigated in which nitrogen is injected as an auxiliary gas either axially into an Ar/H₂, discharge in the center of the induction coil region, or radially through multiple orifices, into the plasma jet at tire exit nozzle of the torch. Concentration mapping in the mixing zone was carried out, using a VG-Microniass-PC 300 D mass spectrometer at plasma power levels and reactor pressures, in the range of 13–24 k 6V and 35–93 kPa, respectively. Comparison of these results with cold-flow measurements underlined the substantial difference in the mixing pattern in each of these two cases. A considerably faster mixing of the gases is noted under cold flow conditions compared to that in the presence of the discharge. The results are discussed from the viewpoint of their use for optimum reactor design applied to tire vapor-phase synthesis of ultrafine ceramic powders, using induction plasma technology.     

In situ preparation of ultrafine Ru nanocatalyst supported on nitrogen-doped layered double hydroxide by nitrogen glow discharge plasma for catalytic hydrogenation of N-ethylcarbazole

Ultrafine Ru nanoparticles (RuNPs) supported on nitrogen-doped layered double hydroxide (Ru/LDH) were in situ prepared by nitrogen glow discharge plasma (nGDP) without adding any chemical reducing agents or stabilizers. The as-synthesized Ru/LDH catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. During treatment with nGDP, the reduction of Ru³⁺ and nitrogen doping were carried out simultaneously. The resulting RuNPs has a narrow particle size distribution of 1.41–2.61 nm, an ultrafine average particle size of 1.86 nm, and were uniformly dispersed on nitrogen-doped LDH. The complexation of RuNPs and O/N-containing functional groups on LDH improve the catalytic activity and stability of Ru/LDH. The catalyst exhibited excellent properties for the hydrogenation reaction of N-ethylcarbazole (NEC). The conversion of NEC and the selectivity of 12H-NEC were 100% and 99.06% for 1 hr at 120°C and 6 MPa H₂, respectively. The mass hydrogen storage capacity was 5.78 wt%. The apparent activation energy was 35.78 kJ/mol.     

Comparative optical investigations of sintered and monocrystalline black and green silicon carbide (SiC)

Crystalline SiC appears in many different polytypes of cubic, hexagonal, and rhombohedral structures. These polytypes are colorless transparent or exhibit various colors evoked by doping with different elements. Dense sintered S-SiC (solid-state sintered) and LPS-SiC (liquid-phase sintered) were known in black color only, but recently a new liquid-phase sintering process was developed to achieve green LPS-SiC as well. Whereas in S-SiC the polycrystalline grains are homogeneously doped with 0.2 wt% boron, in the LPS-types the SiC grains contain up to 1.2 wt% Al, 0.3 wt% N and 0.1% O having a structure comprising a SiC(Al,N,O) mixed crystal shell and a pure SiC core. The difference in color of polycrystalline SiC bodies seems to result from small amounts of carbon in the sintered specimens (0.2-0.5 wt% C). Green sintered LPS-SiC is obtained, after free carbon has largely been removed by a suitable oxidation process prior to sintering. To get information on the various types of sintered SiC, the optical extinction and absorption spectra of black and green sintered SiC and green Acheson-SiC single crystals were quantitatively measured in the spectral range between about 1.4 and 4.1 eV. While the absorption coefficients of the single crystals vary between about 50 and 200 cm⁻¹, the extinction coefficients of the sintered materials are between 2000 and 7000 cm⁻¹. Nevertheless the absorption bands in the more or less transparent region of the green and black materials can easily be attributed to one another. Hence, the reason for these absorption processes must be assumed to be the same. In the same way, position and slope of the absorption edges are correlated amongst green or black SiC, irrespective of, whether the material is single crystal or sintered.     

Homogeneous nucleation of particles from the vapor phase in thermal plasma synthesis

Particle nucleation and growth are simulated for iron vapor in a thermal plasma reactor with an assumed one-dimensional flow field and decoupled chemistry and aerosol dynamics. Including both evaporation and coagulation terms in the set of cluster-balance rate equations, a sharply defined homogeneous nucleation event is calculated. Following nucleation the vapor phase is rapidly depleted by condensation, and thereafter particle growth occurs purely by Browntan coagulation. The size and number of nucleated particles are found to be affected strongly by the cooling rate and by the initial monomer concentration. An explanation is presented in terms of the response time of the aerosol to changing thermodynamic conditions.This work appears in abbreviated from in the proceedings of the International Symposium on Combustion and Plasma Synthesis of High Temperature Materials, San Francisco, Oct. 24–26, 1988, to be published asCombustion and Plasma Synthesis of Hig Temperature Materials, Z. A. Munir and J. B. Holt (eds.), VCH, New York (in press).     

Mixing study of the induction plasma reactor: Part II. Radial injection mode

A study was undertaken on the mixing pattern in am induction plasma torch and reactor system. The results presented in this part of the paper relate to the radial injection mode, in which an auxiliary gas is injected into the main plasma stream through a set of 2, 4, or 8 injection ports located in the torch nozzle at the level of the torch exit flange. A much faster mixing of the gases occurred in this mode compared to the axial injection mode investigated in Part I of this paper. As in the case of axial injection, the present study demonstrates that gas mixing, in the presence of the discharge, is considerably more difficult than under ambient temperature conditions. Lower turbulence levels exist in the plasma reactor. due to the considerably higher viscosity of the gases under plasma conditions. Results obtained with a three-point injection flange, in which the injection ports were oriented at 45° to the torch and reactor axes toward the upstream .side, mere most interesting since they achieved essentially the same degree of mixing as was obtained with the radial injection ports without the need to locate the injection ports at the exit nozzle of the plasma torch. This arrangement provides for added flexibility in reactor design.     

Process study of thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition of diamond,part II: Pressure dependence and effect of substrate pretreatment

The effect of pressure during thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition of diamond films has been investigated for a pressure range from 100 to 760 Torr. The maximum growth rate in our experiments occurs at 270 Torr for substrate temperatures around 1000°C. The existence of an optimum pressure for diamond deposition may he related to the balance between generation and recombination of atomic hydrogen and carbon-containing active species in front of the substrate. To estimate the concentrations of atomic hydrogen and methyl radicals under thermal plasma conditions, calculations based on thermodynamic equilibrium have been performed. This approximate evaluation provides useful guidelines because rapid diffusion results in a near frozen chemistry within the boundary layer. The effect of substrate pretreatment on diamond deposition depends on the type of substrate used. Two growth modes have been observed-layer growth and island growth of diamond crystals on various substrates. Screw dislocations have been observed in diamond deposition in thermal plasmas, and defects such as secondary nucleations are more concentrated along (III) directions than along (100) directions.     

双水杨醛缩乙二胺氧钒配合物的合成和晶体结构

钒的化合物具有类胰岛素样活性,是新一代潜在的抗糖尿病药物。本文合成了水杨醛缩乙二胺氧钒席夫碱配合物[VO(SALEN)],并通过红外光谱、元素分析、X-射线单晶衍射和热重分析等手段进行了表征、结构测定及热分解研究。结果表明,它属于三斜晶系,与以前所报道的该配合物的单斜晶系结构不同。     

高分子量DL-丙交酯的合成及热降解

研究了聚ＤＬ－丙交酯（ＰＤＬＬＡ）的合成及热降解性能。发现影响聚合物分子量的关键因素是单体的重结晶、引发剂的浓度以及安瓿瓶在封管时的干燥和真空度。采用ＤＳＣ、ＴＧＡ分析了ＰＤＬＬＡ的玻璃化转变和热分解。ＰＤＬＬＡ是热不稳定聚合物,影响其热稳定性的主要因素是残留单体、催化剂和低聚物的含量,将聚合物溶解沉淀处理可以延缓其热解速度,提高它的热稳定性。     

A surfactant‐free synthesis of the silica nanosphere‐supported ultrafine silver nanoparticles and their antibacterial effects

In this study, a facile, efficient, and surfactant‐free method to synthesize silica nanosphere‐supported ultrafine silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (~2.5 nm) was developed, and their antibacterial effects were investigated. In the synthesis process, the hydrolysis of 3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane was adopted to provide thiol groups and in situ reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰ for ultrafine AgNPs formation on the surface of the silica nanosphere. Electron microscopy characterization of the complex formed revealed that the ultrafine AgNPs were not agglomerated and grow without any surfactants because there were no excess electrons transported from the shell to reduce the silver ions to silver atoms. The antibacterial effects of the supported ultrafine AgNPs with the surfactant‐free surface were evaluated against the Escherichia coli even at very low dosage. After incubation with 20 μg/mL silica‐supported AgNPs up to 120 min, 99.7% of the E. coli were inactivated, according to the bacterial viability measured by flow cytometry.     

聚双(6-咔唑基己氧基)磷腈的合成

以PCl5和NH4Cl为原料采用"一步法"合成了线型聚二氯磷腈(4);4与6-咔唑基己醇发生亲核取代反应合成了聚双(6-咔唑基己氧基)磷腈(5),其结构经1H NMR,31P NMR,IR和GPC表征。热分析结果表明,5具有良好的热稳定性和较高的玻璃化温度。     

Titanium production in a plasma reactor: A feasibility investigation

The feasibility of producing titanium metal from titanium tetrachloride in a thermal plasma under equilibrium and adiabatic expansion conditions has been theoretically investigated. Free energy minimization and adiabatic expansion calculations to simulate a nozzle expansion were used to study the practicality of production. The crucial requirements for the production of titanium powder from TiCl₄ and H₂ appear to be rapid quenching of the plasma gas at high temperature (e.g., 3700 K) and appropriate reactant concentrations. Quenching of tire plasma gas and production of titanium powder can be achieved by adiabatic expansion through a nozzle. Preliminary experimental data indicate that titanium powder of approximately 5 nm in size can be produced in an argon plasma rising a nozzle expansion approach.     

Green synthesis and physical properties of crystalline silica engineering nanomaterial from rice husk (agriculture waste) at different annealing temperatures for its varied applications

Crystalline nano silica (SiO₂) was synthesized using a cost-effective eco-friendly method from agricultural waste material like rice husk. Polymer nanocomposite has been prepared using the sol-gel technique from crystalline nano silica using PVA as a polymer binder. Thermal analysis measurement is employed to investigate thermal stability. The XRD analysis shows the crystalline nature of silica is revealed to have characteristic peaks of SiO₂. The particle size was evaluated using Schererr's formula and found to be in the range of 21–31 nm. FTIR measurement shows the presence of O–Si–O (silane) bond formation. The PL measurement shows broad excitation prominently in the visible region. In the XRD pattern, a major peak of the Nanocomposite is observed at an angular position of 19.5° degree, which is more prominent than that of the PVA with the addition of 0.2 wt percent Nano silica to the PVA composite. SEM provides information on homogeneous distribution. This could be beneficial in terms of higher mechanical qualities as well as multifunctional properties. By hydrogen bonding, the PVA molecules are strongly linked to each SiO₂ nanoparticle as measured by FTIR. The stability of materials is confirmed by Zeta Potential and DLS. In the photoluminescence property of SiO₂-PVA crystalline Nano silica composite is excited using a radiation wavelength of 200 nm. The indirect bandgap was determined to be 4.28 eV which could be attributed to the 1100 °C annealing temperature. Such materials may be used as a semiconductor material obtained from a direct natural source, rice husk. Thus, in the present research structural, physical, and optical properties of crystalline nano silica and its polymer composite are explored, which leads us to prepare technological grads material from agricultural waste for varied applications including Agriculture to medical science.     

聚DL-乳酸的合成及其热性能研究

以辛酸亚锡为催化剂催化丙交酯开环聚合DL-乳酸(PDLLA)。研究了影响PDLLA分子量的因素包括丙交酯单体的纯度、催化剂的浓度、反应温度、反应时间及真空度等。用DSC,TGA分析了不同分子量PDLLA的警警化转变和热失重。结果表明,PDLLA是热不稳定聚合物,残留的单体、催化剂及低聚物是影响PDLLA热稳定性的因素,除去其中残留的单体、催化剂及低聚物可以提高PDLLA的热稳定性。