Methods of processing particulate carbon material, such as graphic particles or agglomerates of carbon nanoparticles such as CNTs are provided. The starting material is agitated in a treatment vessel in the presence of low-pressure (glow) plasma generated between electrodes. The material is agitated in the presence of conductive contact bodies such as metal balls, on the surface of which plasma glow is present and amongst which the material to be treated moves. The methods effectively deagglomerate nanoparticles, and exfoliate graphitic material to produce very thin graphitic sheets showing graphene-type characteristics. The resulting nanomaterials used by dispersal in composite materials, e.g. conductive polymeric composites for electric or electronic articles and devices. The particle surfaces can be functionalized by choosing appropriate gas in which to form the plasma.

The present invention concerns a reactor for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol comprising a support made from an electrically and thermally conductive material, forming the wall or walls of at least one longitudinal channel that passes through the support and also acting as the cathode of the reactor, at least one wire electrode forming an anode of the reactor, and extending within each longitudinal channel, and being arranged at a distance from the wall or walls of the longitudinal channel, each wire electrode optionally being covered with an electrically insulating layer along the part of the wire electrode extending within the longitudinal channel, a catalyst capable of catalysing a conversion reaction for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol, the catalyst being situated between the wire electrode and the wall or walls of each longitudinal channel.

A method and apparatus for making carbon black having increased surface area, reduced grit and/or reduced extract levels. A plasma gas is flowed into a plasma forming region to form a plasma. The plasma then flows through a throat region which is narrower than the plasma forming section, which is connected to a separate carbon black forming region. This causes the plasma to accelerate and become turbulent prior to the exit point in the throat region. The carbon black forming feedstock is injected into the turbulence created by the throat region at a point above, at or near the exit point, resulting in the formation of a carbon black in the separate carbon black forming region. The throat region and/or injector region can be cooled, e.g., water plasma gas cooled.

Disclosed herein is a method and device for production of a new long-term storage-stable allotropic modification of oxygen, tetraoxygen O.sub.4, using a combination of known chemical reactions into one technological sequence, including chemical interaction of negative and positive oxidation state oxygen compounds.

The method involves production of dioxygen difluoride by oxidation of molecular oxygen with fluorine, followed by the reaction of dioxygen difluoride with alkali metal peroxide, forming tetraoxygen O.sub.4.

Tetraoxygen is stable in its liquid state up to a temperature of +40° C. and can be used for the oxidation of rocket fuel, long-term compact storage of oxygen, and many other purposes.

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.

A manufacturing apparatus of carbide of the present disclosure includes a tank, a lid, a molten salt crucible, an electrode assembly, an air intake device and a heating device. The lid is connected to the tank to jointly delimit a compartment. The molten salt crucible is disposed in the compartment for containing a salt. The electrode assembly includes a working electrode and a counter electrode. An end of the working electrode and an end of the counter electrode both contact the salt in the molten salt crucible, and the end of the working electrode contacting the salt is for fixing a reactant tablet. The air intake device is configured to exchange the air in the compartment. The heating device is configured to heat the compartment.

The present invention describes a plasma reactor for processing natural gas and/or light hydrocarbons, including biomethane and biogas, with a plasma torch that does not require the use of cathode shielding gas (shielding gas), as well as a process for reforming using a plasma reactor for the production of synthesis gas and carbonaceous materials from natural gas and/or light hydrocarbons.

The invention relates to a flow cell having a tube piece which extends along a longitudinal axis and within which a first electrode is coaxially arranged. The tube piece is formed by a first tube section and by a second tube section and by a second electrode which is arranged between the first and the second tube sections and which is circumferentially closed, so that its inner surface forms a part of the tube piece.

Method for transforming a gas mixture into a gas mixture of higher added value, comprising a step of injecting a gas mixture into a pulsed plasma reactor, a dissociation step using pulsed discharges to generate a shock wave between two electrodes to produce gases, and a step of releasing the produced gases to an area where they can be cooled down and/or separated and/or collected. The dissociation step is also designed to provide passive re-ignition of the plasma in the event that the latter is blown out by the continuous stream of gas in the reactor.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for triggering an exothermic reaction under a high hydrogen loading rate. It is generally understood that a high hydrogen loading ratio is an important factor. The present application teaches that a high hydrogen loading rate, that is, achieving a high hydrogen loading ratio in a short period of time, is another important factor in determining whether excess heat can be observed in an exothermic reaction. The present application discloses methods and apparatus for achieving a high hydrogen loading rate in order to trigger an exothermic reaction.