NSF Young Investigator

这项计划将有两个主要推动力。首先，将研究在烟尘火焰中形成富勒烯的化学机制，最终目标是开发一条优化的廉价富勒烯生产途径。作为这项活动的一部分，将对富勒烯形成的重要变量进行彻底的参数空间搜索，以前的热力学研究提供了指导。由于这些研究表明，高于可用绝热火焰温度可能有利于富勒烯的生产，因此将进行以微波或射频辐射的形式将额外能量耦合到火焰中的实验。作为这项研究的一部分，将对富勒烯生产的各种可能的机制进行建模，并根据研究的实验部分获得的数据进行测试。其次，将研究使用红外激光系统来连续监测危险废物焚烧炉的效率。氯代烃焚烧的化学动力学模拟研究已经确定了燃烧的中间体，激光应在其红外传输上进行调谐；将进行实验，以验证开发有效的连续监测系统的这一方法。这两个研究项目都有重要的潜在应用。在第一种情况下，开发相对廉价的富勒烯生产方法对于进一步开发这些材料的潜在用途非常重要。在第二种情况下，目前焚烧技术中倾向于阻止使用这种方法的一个缺陷是缺乏在线实时过程监控器，该在线实时监控器可以结合到控制器方案中，以最大限度地减少或消除由于各种原因导致的焚烧炉运行瞬变期间有毒物质的泄漏。

There will be two major thrusts to this program. First, the chemical mechanisms of fullerene formation in a sooting flame will be investigated, with an end-goal of developing an optimized inexpensive path to fullerene production. As part of this activity, a thorough parameter-space search of the variables important to fullerene formation will be carried out, with guidance being provided by previous thermodynamic studies. Inasmuch as these studies have indicated that temperatures in excess of available adiabatic flame temperatures may be advantageous to fullerene production, experiments in which additional energy is coupled into the flames in the form of microwave or radio-frequency radiation will be carried out. As part of this study, various possible mechanisms for fullerene production will be modelled and tested against data obtained in the experimental part of the study. Secondly, the use of an infrared laser system to continuously monitor efficiency of hazardous waste incinerators will be studied. Chemical kinetic modeling studies of incineration of chlorinated hydrocarbons have identified intermediates of combustion on whose infrared transmissions the lasers should be tuned; experiments to verify this approach to development of an effective continuous monitoring system will be carried out. Both research projects have important potential applications. In the first case, development of means for relatively inexpensive production of fullerenes is important to further development of potential uses for these materials. In the second case, a current deficiency in incineration technology tending to block use of such methods is lack of an on-line real-time process monitor which can be incorporated in a controller scheme to minimize or eliminate escape of toxic materials during incinerator operation transients resulting from various causes.