SBIR Phase I: The Development of a Solar Energy Thermal Process for Producing Fullerenes

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9561291 Wang This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project will investigate the technical feasibility of using concentrated solar energy to continuously evaporate waste forms of carbon and establish the economic feasibility of producing fullerenes using the proposed solar-thermal process. Concentrated solar energy is an environmentally benign and novel method for achieving ultra-high heat fluxes. The proposed solar-thermal process would provide a pollution-free supply of energy for synthesis processes that require focused intense heat. The production of fullerenes (buckyballs) requires very high temperatures to vaporize carbon and condense C60, C70, and other complex carbon molecules. Fullerenes are currently produced using an electric arc between expensive graphite rods. This process is quite energy intensive and the electrical generation, graphite rod production and organic solvent extraction of the fullerenes associated with this process contribute to the production of waste. Concentrated solar energy is ideal for vaporizing a variety of forms of carbon_which is some cases is a waste product_for the synthesis of fullerenes. The feasibility of this process has been demonstrated on a batch basis and has the potential of being significantly more economical than the existing electric arc process. The primary benefit of this Phase I project will be to establish an environmentally benign process of utilizing waste carbon and solar energy to economically produce fullerenes to meet the projected demand of fullerenes dor electrodes in hydride batteries, fuel cells, gas storage of hydrogen, oxygen and hydrocarbons and as precursors to deposit diamond. The grantee is the largest producer of fullerenes and plans to scale production to one ton/day in 1998 for an established application of fullerenes.