Methods for colloidal particle manipulation mediated by an elastic fluid responsive to changes in boundary conditions, including methods of controlling motion of colloidal particles using wavy wall boundary conditions. Methods for driving transitions in topological defect configurations of colloidal particles using wavy wall boundary conditions.

An apparatus for forming a C1 to C5 oxygenate from carbon dioxide and a C1 to C4 hydrocarbon is described. The apparatus comprises: a dielectric barrier discharge, DBD, device arranged to generate a plasma; and a passageway having an inlet for the carbon dioxide and the C1 to C4 hydrocarbon and an outlet for the oxygenates. In one example the passageway includes therein a catalyst. The passageway extends, at least in part, through the DBD device wherein, in use, the carbon dioxide in reacted with the C1 to C4 hydrocarbon in the generated plasma, thereby forming the oxygenates from at least some of the carbon dioxide and the C1 to C4 hydrocarbon. The DBD device comprises a conducting liquid as a ground electrode. A method and a use are also described.

An apparatus for forming methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen is described. The apparatus comprises: a dielectric barrier discharge, DBD, device arranged to generate a plasma; and a passageway having an inlet for the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen and an outlet for the methane and including therein a catalyst comprising nickel and alumina. The passageway extends, at least in part, through the DBD device wherein, in use, the carbon dioxide is exposed to the catalyst in the presence of the hydrogen in the generated plasma, thereby forming the methane from at least some of the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen. A method, a use and a catalyst are also described.

Systems and methods for producing ammonia are described. In one embodiment, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are dissolved in a solution. A glutamine synthetase inhibitor and autotrophic diazotroph bacteria are also placed in the solution.

An apparatus for forming C1 to C5 alcohol, carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof from carbon dioxide and hydrogen is described. The apparatus comprises: a dielectric barrier discharge, DBD, device arranged to generate a plasma; and a passageway having an inlet for the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen and an outlet for the C1 to C5 alcohol, carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof and including therein a catalyst comprising nickel and/or cobalt and/or copper on a support. The passageway extends, at least in part, through the DBD device wherein, in use, the carbon dioxide is exposed to the catalyst in the presence of the hydrogen in the generated plasma, thereby forming the C1 to C5 alcohol, carboxylic acid, or mixture thereof from at least some of the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen. The DBD devices comprises a water electrode. A method and a catalyst are also described.

Apparatus and methods are provided that are capable of mass production of particulate materials, such as graphene particulates. The apparatus comprises an ignition assembly that comprises readily interchangeable electrode cassettes and that may be configured to self-clean in between the combustion cycles in which the particulate materials are generated. Methods of generating the particulate materials require low energy inputs in order to initiate the combustion reaction, which is then self-sustaining until the reactants are depleted.

The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating hydrogen in a nanoporous carbon powder.

A graphene nano-steam generator and a beauty instrument are provided. The graphene nano-steam generator includes a coarse steam channel, a nano-steam channel and a high-voltage power supply device. The coarse steam channel is connected to a coarse steam manufacturing device and the nano-steam channel. The coarse steam channel is provided with a steam sieving device, and an end of the coarse steam channel is provided with a first electrode and a second electrode. The high-voltage power supply device is coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. The high-voltage power supply device supplies high-voltage electricity to the first electrode and the second electrode, and forms a high-voltage arc discharge between the first electrode and the second electrode, thus the coarse steam molecular group flowing through is ionized by the high-voltage arc to generate a large amount of active nano-scale steam to be flowed out from the nano-steam channel.

A reactor has a reactor vessel and one or more reaction tubes. One or more power input elements are guided into the reactor vessel for the electrical heating of the reaction tube(s). The one or more power input elements each have a rod-shaped section, and the rod-shaped section(s) each run in a respective wall passage through a wall of the reactor vessel. A connection chamber into which the rod-shaped section(s) project is arranged outside the reactor vessel and adjacent to the wall of the reactor vessel through which the rod-shaped section(s) run in their wall passages. Gas feed means apply an inerting gas to the connection chamber, and the wall passages with the rod-shaped sections received therein in a longitudinally-movable manner are designed to be gas-permeable so that at least a portion of the inerting gas fed into the connection chamber flows out into the reactor vessel.

The present invention provides a graphene structure having graphene bubbles and a preparation method for the same. The preparation method comprises: providing a substrate; forming a hydrogen terminated layer on a top surface of the substrate and a graphene layer disposed on a top surface of the hydrogen terminated layer; and placing a probe on the graphene layer and applying a preset voltage to the probe, to excite a part of the hydrogen terminated layer at a position corresponding to the probe to convert into hydrogen, the hydrogen causing the graphene layer at a position corresponding to the hydrogen to bulge, so as to form a graphene bubble enveloping the hydrogen.