Laser pyrolysis of hydrocarbons in synthesis of soot containing fullerenes

Abstract Using a high power CW CO2 laser, the pyrolysis in a flow reactor of different hydrocarbons/oxidizer mixtures with/without sensitizer lead to soots containing weightable quantities of fullerenes which were identified by FTIR spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The C60 and C70 quantification was done by HPLC. The FTIR spectroscopy of toluene extracts from the soots and of exhaust gases allowed to discuss some aspects concerning the influence of sensitizer (SF6) addition as well as of the oxidiser (O2/N2O) on the fullerene production in laser pyrolysis of benzene-based mixtures.