Patent ID: 7473873

Claim:
An apparatus for synthesizing nanostructures, comprising: a. a chamber having a first end, an opposite, second end, and a body portion defined therebetween, wherein the body portion defines a cavity therein and has an axis; b. a heating member formed on the exterior surface of the body portion of the chamber for heating the chamber so as to create a reaction zone in the cavity; c. a honeycomb-like structure having an axis and positioned in the reaction zone with the axis being substantially coincident with the axis of the cavity of the chamber; and d. a porous plate having an axis and positioned in the reaction zone and between the honeycomb-like structure and the second end of the chamber with the axis being substantially coincident with the axis of the cavity of the chamber, wherein the honeycomb-like structure and the porous plate are adapted such that in use when a gas mixture passes through the porous plate, the gas mixture is substantially uniformly distributed over a catalyst supported by the porous plate so as to enhance interaction of the gas mixture with the catalyst; wherein the chamber further has a first opening channel interconnecting through the first end in fluid communication with the cavity, and a second opening channel interconnecting through the second end in fluid communication with the cavity; wherein the first opening channel is adapted for inputting a gas mixture, and the second opening channel is adapted for outputting an exhaust gas mixture, respectively; and wherein the gas mixture after crossing the porous plate causes the catalyst to fluidize such that particles of the catalyst are suspended individually in the gas stream of the gas mixture.