A method for converting hydrocarbon materials into a product includes receiving a hydrocarbon feedstock in a first reaction chamber, receiving a process gas in the first reaction chamber, and forming a first set of discharge conditions in the presence of energy from a microwave generator, in the first reaction chamber, to convert the hydrocarbon feedstock into an intermediate product for delivery to a second reaction chamber. The method also includes delivering the intermediate product to the second reaction chamber, forming a second set of discharge conditions, and converting the intermediate product into a final product in the second reaction chamber.

A microwave heating method using a microwave, including: controlling a frequency of the microwave, to form a single-mode standing wave; disposing an object to be heated in a magnetic field region where a strength of a magnetic field formed by the single-mode standing wave is uniform and maximum; and heating the object to be heated by magnetic heat generation by magnetic loss caused by an action of the magnetic field of the magnetic field region, and/or induction heating by an induced current generated in the object to be heated due to the magnetic field of the magnetic field region.

A TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid nanocomposite and a method of preparing the TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid nanocomposite is disclosed. The TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid nanocomposite at an average particle size ranging from 12-15 nanometers and having a surface area of 140.5 m.sup.2/g includes titanium oxide, graphene oxide and silver, the silver ranging from about 2 weight % to 10 weight %. The method of preparation includes introducing sol gel to a microwave irradiation to prepare an irradiated sample of TiO.sub.2-graphene oxide sample, wherein the sol gel includes TiO.sub.2 containing gel along with graphene containing sol, followed by adding AgNO.sub.3 solution to the TiO.sub.2-graphene oxide sample for preparing a TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid suspension. The TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid suspension undergoes microwave irradiation to prepare dried TiO.sub.2-graphene-silver hybrid composite.

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.

Apparatus for applying electromagnetic energy at a frequency or frequencies in a frequency range of 1 MHz-100 GHz to an object in a cavity. The apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic energy and a processor configured to acquire information indicative of a spatial location of the object in the cavity, identify a first set of frequency and phase values, the first set being associated with a first field pattern having a first high-intensity region corresponding to a first area of the spatial location of the object, identify a second set of frequency and phase values, the second set being associated with a second field pattern having a second high-intensity region corresponding to a second area of the spatial location of the object, wherein the first area is different from the second area and control the source, in accordance with the first and second sets of frequency and phase values, to apply electromagnetic energy to the first and second areas.

A precision volumetric liquid dispensing instrument is disclosed that includes two pressure sensors and a fluid passageway with a defined volume portion in communication with the two sensors for receiving and distributing liquid in relatively small volumes. One of the pressure sensors is positioned to measure pressure at one portion of the defined volume portion of the fluid passageway and the other of the gas pressure sensors is positioned to measure gas pressure at a different portion of the defined volume portion of the passageway. At least one valve is in communication with the passageway for moving fluids into or out of the defined volume portion of the fluid passageway, and a processor carries out a step selected from the group consisting of (i) calculating the volume of the liquid based upon the measured pressure and (ii) metering a liquid into the defined volume portion of the fluid passageway until the measured pressure indicates that a desired volume of fluid is in the fluid passageway.

An apparatus is provided for applying electromagnetic energy at a frequency or frequencies in a frequency range of 1 MHz to 100 GHz to an object in a cavity via at least one radiating element. At least one processor is configured to receive a target energy distribution, select, based on the target energy distribution, a plurality of sets of values of field-affecting parameters controllable by the apparatus. The parameters include at least one of frequency, phase, and amplitude. The apparatus provides for the control of a source coupled to the at least one radiating element to excite a respective field pattern for each selected set of values.

A solid state combinatorial synthesis of particulate diamond ranging in size from the macroscopic down to the nanoscale, which entails: a) forming a solution having a source of reactant atoms, a tetrahedranoidal compound reactant, and a solvent vehicle; b) forming liquid droplets of the solution; c) evaporating the solvent vehicle from the liquid droplets of the solution to form particles containing a homogenous solid mixture of the reactants; and d) exposing the particles of the homogeneous solid mixture to a high energy discharge thereby forming diamond particles.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method for converting waste plastics into value-added products, the method including the steps of (a) contacting the waste plastics with a catalyst to form a reaction mixture and (b) applying microwave irradiation to the reaction mixture. In another aspect, disclosed herein are value-added products including, but not limited to, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons produced by the process disclosed herein. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A method for converting hydrocarbon materials into a product includes receiving a hydrocarbon feedstock in a first reaction chamber, receiving a process gas in the first reaction chamber, and forming a first set of discharge conditions in the presence of energy from a microwave generator, in the first reaction chamber, to convert the hydrocarbon feedstock into an intermediate product for delivery to a second reaction chamber. The method also includes delivering the intermediate product to the second reaction chamber, forming a second set of discharge conditions, and converting the intermediate product into a final product in the second reaction chamber.