United States Patent | 5,393,955 |
Simmons | Feb. 28, 1995 |
Inventors: | Simmons; Walter N. (451 Scrabble Rd., Martinsburg, WV 25401). |
Appl. No.: | 004,694 |
Filed: | Jan. 14, 1993 |
Intl. Cl.: | B23K 10/00; |
U.S. Cl.: | 219/121.59; 219/121.36; |
Field of Search: | 121.59;121.43;121.48;121.51;121.36 |
4,037,043 | Jul., 1977 | Segsworth | 13/ 9 |
5,273,729 | Dec., 1993 | Howard et al. | 423/445 |
5,300,203 | Apr., 1994 | Smalley | 204/157 .41 |
WO92/04279 | Mar., 1992 | WOX |
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An improved process, and an apparatus, are provided for preparing graphitic soot comprising C(60) and C(70) fullerenes, the process comprising evaporating, in a tubular evaporator, an electrically conductive carbon rod in an electric arc plasma sustained between the carbon rod and a second electrically conductive carbon rod, each of the carbon rods being aligned coaxially in the evaporator, and at least one of the rods being moveable, in a stream of at least one inert gas flowing coaxially over the carbon rods at an inlet flow rate of at least about 0.02 m(^3) /h, and collecting the graphitic soot from internal surfaces of the evaporator.