Multiple reactant nozzles for a flowing reactor
View Patent ↗A collection of zinc oxide nanoparticles have been produced by laser pyrolysis. The zinc oxide nanoparticles have average particle diameters of less than about 95 nm and a very narrow particle size distribution. The laser pyrolysis process is characterized by the production of a reactant stream within the reaction chamber, where the reactant stream includes a zinc precursor and other reactants. The zinc precursor can be delivered as an aerosol.
1. A reaction system comprising:
a reaction chamber;
a reactant delivery apparatus comprising a plurality of reactant inlets into the reaction chamber, wherein the plurality of reactant inlets are configured to combine within the reaction chamber different reactants from separate reactant sources into a stream of combined reactants directed along a reactant path, wherein each of the plurality of reactant inlets comprises an elongated dimension that corresponds with an elongated dimension of a cross section of the reaction chamber that is perpendicular to the reactant path; and
a light source that is configured to direct a light beam, wherein the stream of combined reactants flows along the reactant path into the light beam at a reaction zone, wherein the light beam is directed in a direction corresponding with the elongated dimension of the cross section of the reaction chamber and intersects the stream of combined reactants.
2. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery apparatus comprises:
an aerosol delivery apparatus that is configured to produce an aerosol along the reactant path; and
a gaseous reactant delivery system that is configured to combine a gaseous reactant with the aerosol along the reactant path within the reaction chamber.
3. The reaction system of claim 2 wherein the aerosol delivery apparatus comprises a conduit connected to a gas supply.
4. The reaction system of claim 2 wherein at least two reactant inlets are individually connected with separate reactant supplies such that the reactant inlets deliver different reactants from each other.
5. The reaction system of claim 4 wherein the different reactants spontaneously react with each other.
6. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery apparatus comprises two gas ports oriented to combine two gaseous reactants along the reactant path within the reaction chamber.
7. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery apparatus comprises two aerosol delivery apparatuses oriented to combine two aerosol reactants along the reactant path within the reaction chamber.
8. The reaction system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the aerosol delivery apparatuses comprise a conduit connected to a gas supply.
9. The reaction system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the aerosol reactants comprises water.
10. The reaction system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the aerosol reactants comprises isopropyl alcohol.
11. The reaction system of claim 1 further comprising a shielding gas port oriented to direct a shielding gas to limit the spread of the combined reactants along the reactant path.
12. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery apparatus combines three reactants within the reaction chamber along the reactant path.
13. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a laser.
14. The reaction system of claim 13 wherein the laser is a CO 2 laser.
15. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the stream of combined reactants is spontaneously reactive.
16. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of reactant inlets is two reactant inlets.
17. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of reactant inlets is greater than two reactant inlets.
18. The reaction system of claim 1 wherein one of the reactant inlets has a length from about 5 mm to about 1 meter.