Embodiments relate to methods for enhancing chemical conversions. One or more embodiments relate to a method for enhancing a multi-step chemical conversion reaction. The method includes providing a reactant mixture having one or more reacting specie(s); and providing a catalyst or sorbent having one or more support materials and one or more deposited catalytically active materials. The method further includes applying an electromagnetic field with a prescribed power, frequency, and pulsing strategy specific to interactions of reactant species and an electromagnetic field with at least one of the support materials, sorbent, and catalytically active materials in a particular chemical reaction.

A preparation method of a polyurethane resin including the following steps is provided. A liquid polyamine compound is placed in a continuous reaction system, and the liquid polyamine compound is circulated in the continuous reaction system. A solid bis(cyclic carbonate) and a solid catalyst are placed in the continuous reaction system to mix the solid bis(cyclic carbonate), solid catalyst, and liquid polyamine compound to form a heterogeneous mixture. The heterogeneous mixture is heated in the continuous reaction system in a microwave manner, such that the heterogeneous mixture reacts to form a polyurethane resin.

A microwave reduction furnace including a reaction furnace provided with a refractory chamber of silica or silicon carbide for storing a material therein, a supply section for supplying the material into the refractory chamber, the material being a mixture of a silica powder and a graphite powder or a mixture of a silica powder, a silicon carbide powder and a graphite powder, a discharge section for discharging molten silicon, obtained through reduction, out of the chamber, and a microwave oscillator for outputting microwave toward the refractory chamber in the reaction furnace with a degree of directionality by virtue of a helical antenna or a waveguide.

The present invention discloses a circulating magnetoelectric-induction reaction system and application thereof. The system comprises an alternating induction voltage unit, an alternating induction magnetic field unit, a low-frequency power supply, and a feed liquid container. The alternating induction voltage unit is mainly composed of a closed iron core, a primary coil, a secondary coil, and an induction voltage cavity. The alternating induction magnetic field unit is mainly composed of a C-shaped iron core, a primary coil, and a magnetic field cavity. The low-frequency power supply is connected to the primary coils in the alternating induction voltage unit and the alternating induction magnetic field unit and provides excitation voltage for the primary coils. The secondary coil comprises an insulating pipeline, which serves as a feed liquid circulating pipeline, and has both ends exposed out of the induction voltage cavity, with one end as a feed inlet and the other as a discharge outlet. The feed liquid container communicates with the feed liquid circulating pipelines in the alternating induction voltage unit and the alternating induction magnetic field unit to form a feed liquid circulation loop. Through the application, continuous-flow processing can be achieved, electrochemical reaction and ionic polarization can be avoided, and production and processing can be conducted efficiently and rapidly in a large scale.

A fuel activation and energy release apparatus is provided for increasing energy output of a fluid substance. The apparatus comprises a fluidly sealable reactor chamber, adapted to withstand a predetermined fluid pressure and temperature; a fluid injection port, adapted to provide a one-way fluid communication from an external fluid reservoir to said reactor chamber; a fluid ejection port, adapted to provide a one-way fluid communication from said reactor chamber to an external region, so as to controllably release said fluid substance from said reactor chamber and at least one first electromagnetic radiation (EMR) waveguide. The first EMR waveguide having a first waveguide input port and a first waveguide output port, operably coupled within said reactor chamber and adapted to couple electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined first wavelength to a fluid substance injected into said reactor chamber.

A non-thermal plasma is generated to selectively convert a precursor to a product. More specifically, plasma forming material and a precursor material are provided to a reaction zone of a vessel. The reaction zone is exposed to microwave radiation, including exposing the plasma forming material and the precursor material to the microwave radiation. The exposure of the plasma forming material to the microwave radiation selectively converts the plasma forming material to a non-thermal plasma including formation of one or more streamers. The precursor material is mixed with the plasma forming material and the precursor material is exposed to the non-thermal plasma including exposing the precursor material to the one or more streamers. The exposure of the precursor material to the streamers and the microwave radiation selectively converts the precursor material to a product.

A system for processing rubber material, the system including a rubber material receiver for accepting the rubber material; a pre-heating unit adapted for the rubber material passing through comprising a plurality of heating elements that heat the rubber material to between 100 to 350 C in an oxygen depleted atmosphere; a microwave unit adapted for receiving the pre-heated rubber material comprising microwave magnetrons, which radiate the pre-heated rubber material in an oxygen depleted environment until the pre-heated rubber is substantially reduced to a carbonaceous material having a volatile content of below 5% and more preferably below 2%; a cooling conveyor that receives processed rubber material from the microwave unit and cools the material in an oxygen depleted environment; and one or more conveyors for transporting the rubber material from the rubber material receiver into and through the pre-heating unit and into and through the microwave unit to the cooling conveyor.

Systems and methods for plasma based synthesis of graphitic materials. The system includes a plasma forming zone configured to generate a plasma from radio-frequency radiation, an interface element configured to transmit the plasma from the plasma forming zone to a reaction zone, and the reaction zone configured to receive the plasma. The reaction zone is further configured to receive feedstock material comprising a carbon containing species, and convert the feedstock material to a product comprising the graphitic materials in presence of the plasma.

Embodiments relate to generating non-thermal plasma to selectively convert a precursor to a product. More specifically, plasma forming material, a precursor material, and a plasma promoter material are provided to a reaction zone of a vessel. The reaction zone is exposed to microwave radiation, including exposing the plasma forming material, the precursor material, and the plasma promoter material to the microwave radiation. The exposure of the plasma forming material and the plasma promoter material to the microwave radiation selectively converts the plasma forming material to a micro-plasma. The precursor material is mixed with the plasma forming material and the precursor material is exposed to the micro-plasma. The exposure of the precursor material to the micro-plasma and the microwave radiation selectively converts the precursor material to a product.

This invention provides an innovative method to manufacture graphene layers or quantities and graphene oxide layers or quantities from graphite, coal slags, asphalt, and other carbon-rich sold materials in nature. The present invention uses controllable microwave irradiation to heat the mixtures of basic material, graphite, or coal slags, or asphalt, or their combinations with ionic liquids and surfactant plus environmentally friendly oxidation agents. This invention can generate the said-products of graphene layers and graphene oxides in a short time period of one second to 300 seconds. The present invention does not involve any concentrated sulfuric acid, nitric acid, nor huge water quantities needed for the purification, unlike the prior art. The as-produced graphene-based materials can be used for preparing conductive films for touch screens, producing graphene carbon fibers and three-dimensional porous graphene nanomaterials, and preparing graphene-based other intelligent nanocomposites for super-light-weight machines and vehicles.