Patent ID: 7641869
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: B82Y,C01B,C01G,C01P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for obtaining inorganic fullerene-like nanostructures, the apparatus comprising: a chemical reactor associated with a supply system for controllably supplying reacting agents into the reactor; a collector system for collecting the inorganic fullerene-like nanostructures being produced in the reactor; and, a temperature control system which is configured and operable to provide a predetermined temperature profile inside the reactor defining an evaporation zone, wherein the chemical reactor comprises: at least first and second separate flow lines configured for vertical flow of the reacting agents therethrough and to define first and second reacting zones, the first flow line leading into the second flow line; and, a bucket for containing a metal oxide powder, wherein the reacting zones including a zone inside the first flow line within its distal end below said bucket, which bucket is located in the first flow line in the vicinity of the evaporation zone where the metal oxide powder is evaporated from said bucket and metal oxide vapor is driven from said evaporation zone towards the first reacting zone where a first reduction-reaction occurs followed by condensation and growth of sub-oxide nanoparticles, the suboxide nanoparticles flowing down to the second reacting zone where a second reaction occurs caused by subsequent reactions with the first and second reacting agents respectively, said reacting agents supplied by diffusion from the second flow line in a direction opposite to the vapor flow from the bucket.