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Free fall plasma-arc reactor for synthesis of carbon nanotubes in microgravity

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 074101 (2006); doi:10.1063/1.2209972

Published 13 July 2006

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J. M. Alford and G. R. Mason
TDA Research, Inc., 12345 W. 52nd Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80228

D. A. Feikema
NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135
High temperatures inside the plasma of a carbon arc generate strong buoyancy driven convection which has an effect on the growth and morphology of the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). To study the effect of buoyancy on the arc process, a miniature carbon arc apparatus was designed and developed to synthesize SWNTs in a microgravity environment substantially free from buoyant convective flows. An arc reactor was operated in the 2.2 and 5.18  s drop towers at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The apparatus employed a 4  mm diameter anode and was powered by a portable battery pack capable of providing in excess of 300  A at 30  V to the arc for the duration of a 5  s drop. However, the principal result is that no dramatic difference in sample yield or composition was noted between normal gravity and 2.2 and 5  s long microgravity runs. Much longer duration microgravity time is required for SWNT's growth such as the zero-G aircraft, but more likely will need to be performed on the international space station or an orbiting spacecraft. ©2006 American Institute of Physics
History: Received 5 February 2006; accepted 20 April 2006; published 13 July 2006
Permalink: http://link.aip.org/link/?RSINAK/77/074101/1
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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords
PACS
  • 52.77.Dq
    Plasma-based ion implantation and deposition
  • 52.50.Dg
    Plasma sources
  • 52.80.Mg
    Arcs; sparks; lightning; atmospheric electricity
  • 52.25.Fi
    Plasma transport properties
  • 81.07.De
    Nanotubes: fabrication and characterization
  • 81.05.Uw
    Carbon, diamond, graphite: fabrication, treatment, testing and analysis
  • YEAR: 2006

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PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN:
0034-6748 (print)   1089-7623 (online)
Publisher:
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