The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma comprising one or more treatment steps, in which the sample for treatment is subject to plasma treatment in a treatment vessel provided with a temperature control system, wherein during the one or more treatment steps the treatment vessel is rotated about an axis in order to agitate the sample and the temperature control system is used to cool or heat the sample. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for use in such a method.

This disclosure provides methods, systems, and compositions of matter for studying solvent accessibility and three-dimensional structure of biological molecules. A plasma can be used to generate marker radicals, which can interact with a biological molecule and mark the solvent-accessible portions of the biological molecule.

A metal ion detection equipment and a metal ion detection method are provided. The metal ion detection equipment includes a porous silicon resonant cavity structure, an electrochemical device and a spectrum detecting device. A sample solution permeates into the porous silicon resonant cavity structure. A to-be-detected metal ion of the sample solution in the porous silicon resonant cavity structure is reduced into a to-be-detected metal by the electrochemical device. The spectrum detecting device detects a spectral variation of a reflective light from the porous silicon resonant cavity structure.

An apparatus for the destruction of a precursor material includes a steam plasma reactor having a high temperature zone and a combustion zone. The high temperature zone is adapted for hydrolyzing the precursor material, whereas the combustion zone is adapted to effect medium temperature oxidation of the reactant stream where combustion oxygen or air is injected. A quenching unit is provided at an exit end of the reactor for quenching a resulting gas stream to avoid the formation of unwanted by-products.

The present invention is a production method for ammonia and ammonia derivatives in a Multi-Reaction Zone Reactor. Said production method comprising the steps of: a) producing at least some section of ammonia as a result of balance reaction of ammonia by means of nitrogen and hydrogen catalyst in at least one primary reaction zone (RZ-1), b) realizing absorption by means of chemical or physical absorbents of at least some section of ammonia which is in gas form and which is produced in primary reaction zone (RZ-1) in at least one secondary reaction zone (RZ-2) which is not separated by discrete physical barriers with the primary reaction zone (RZ-1).

A nitric oxide generator generates nitric oxide from a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen such as air treated by a pulsating electrical discharge. The desired concentration of nitric oxide is obtained by controlling at least one of a frequency of the pulsating electrical discharge and duration of each electrical discharge pulse.

The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a plasma reactor for decomposition of hydrocarbons which allows stable operation over a prolonged time period. This problem is solved by a plasma reactor for decomposing a hydrocarbon fluid, which comprises a reactor chamber surrounded by a reactor wall and further comprises at least one hydrocarbon inlet and an outlet. A plasma torch having at least two electrodes, which comprise a base part at a first end, is fixed to the reactor wall. At a second end, the electrodes comprise a burner part which projects into the reactor chamber, and a plasma zone is defined between the burner parts of adjacent electrodes. In a region between the plasma zone and the outlet, the hydrocarbon inlet opens into the reactor chamber, and the hydrocarbon inlet is oriented toward the plasma zone such that hydrocarbon fluid flowing therefrom is directed towards the plasma zone. In the plasma reactor disclosed herein, primarily small C particles are formed which prevent fouling or overgrowing of the reactor chamber. Furthermore some large and heavy C particles, which may statistically be formed, penetrate the plasma cloud and can attach specifically to the electrodes.

A method for making covetic metal-nanostructured carbon composites or compositions is described herein. This method is advantageous, in that it provides substantially oxygen-free covetic materials and allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method comprises introducing carbon into a molten metal in a heated reactor under low oxygen partial pressure, while passing an electric current through the molten metal. The reactor is heated at a temperature sufficient to form a network of nanostructured carbon within a matrix of the metal. After heating the covetic material is recovered from the reactor.

Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to methods and apparatus for inducing mixing in a fluid using one or more plasma actuators. In an embodiment, a pair of electrodes is positioned near a fluid and a voltage potential is applied across the pair of electrodes such that a plasma discharge is produced in the fluid. In an embodiment, the plasma discharge creates turbulence in the fluid thereby mixing the fluid. In an embodiment, flow structures, such as vortices are generated in the fluid. In an embodiment, the fluid is mixed in three dimensions. In an embodiment, a plurality of fluids are mixed. In an embodiment, solids are dispersed in at least one fluid. In an embodiment, heat or other properties are dispersed within at least one fluid. In an embodiment, at least one of the pair of electrodes has a serpentine shape.

A nanostructure includes a plurality of substantially spherically curved carbon layers having diameters in a range of 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers and a plurality of halogen atoms attached to an outer convex side of the carbon layers. A composition of matter includes a liquid fuel and an additive including at least one liquid and a plurality of carbon nano-onions. A method of fabricating an additive for liquid fuel includes creating a carbon-based material using a plasma in an environment including at least one hydrocarbon gas and/or at least one liquid containing hydrocarbons, organometallic metal-complex, and/or element-organic compounds, evaporating organic material from the carbon-based material, halogenating the carbon-based material, and extracting carbon nano-onions from the halogenated carbon-based material.