Blue and green luminescent carbon nanodots from controllable fuel-rich flame reactors

The continuous synthesis in controlled gas flame reactors is here demonstrated as a very effective approach for the direct and easy production of structurally reproducible carbon nanodots. In this work, the design of a simple deposition system, inserted into the reactor, is introduced. A controlled flame reactor is employed in the present investigation. The system was optimized for the production of carbon nanoparticles including fluorescent nanocarbons. Blue and green fluorescent carbon could be easily separated from the carbon nanoparticles by extraction with organic solvents and characterized by advanced chemical (size exclusion chromatography and mass spectrometry) and spectroscopic analysis. The blue fluorescent carbon comprised a mixture of molecular fluorophores and aromatic domains; the green fluorescent carbon was composed of aromatic domains (10–20 aromatic condensed rings), bonded and/or turbostratically stacked together. The green-fluorescent carbon nanodots produced in the flame reactor were insoluble in water but soluble in N-methylpyrrolidinone and showed excitation-independent luminescence. These results provide insights for a simple and controlled synthesis of carbon nanodots with specific and versatile features, which is a promising pathway for their use in quite different applicative sectors of bioimaging.

CONJUGATE HEAT TRANSFER IN THE PRODUCTION OF GLASS MICROSPHERES IN A GAS-FLAME REACTOR

A model for the process of glass microsphere production in a recuperative gas-flame reactor was proposed. Based on the described mathematical model of heating and motion of particles in a high-temperature gas stream, which takes into account conjugate heat exchange between the reactor’s operating environment and the recuperator, the appropriate processes were modeled and optimized by geometric and regime parameters. The particle location time in the reactor at a temperature above 1400 °С, which was determined by data of differential scanning colorimetry, was used as an optimized charac- С, which was determined by data of differential scanning colorimetry, was used as an optimized charac- , which was determined by data of differential scanning colorimetry, was used as an optimized characteristic.As a result of optimization calculations, the reactor parameters (diameter and height, natural gas flow rate, air flow rate in the recuperator) were found, as well as regime parameters (diameter and flow rate of glass particles), under which microspheres can be formed. The information obtained can be a basis for designing an effective gas-flame reactor for production of glass microspheres.