Vaporization of thermally sensitive materials

1. A vaporizing system for vaporizing particulate material, comprising:

(a) a source of particulate material;

(b) a heater having a reticulated material structure composed of ligands that define voids adapted to receive particulate materials, wherein the voids comprise greater than 85% of the volume of the reticulated material structure so that delivery of particulate material into the voids and conduction of vaporized material from the voids is facilitated;

(c) a manifold positioned to receive vaporized material produced by the heater;

(d) means for delivering the particulate material to the heater by gravity for causing such material to be disposed in the voids; and

(e) means for causing heat to be produced or conducted by the ligands to cause the particulate material in the voids to vaporize and be delivered to the manifold;

wherein the heater is set at an angle of 30 to 70 degrees relative to horizontal.

2. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein the reticulated material structure is electrically conductive and the heat-causing means causes current to flow through the ligands to cause heat to be produced.

3. The vaporizing system of claim 2 wherein the reticulated material structure includes vitreous carbon.

4. The vaporizing system of claim 2 wherein the reticulated material structure includes vitreous carbon and a conformal coating of a refractory metal or conductive ceramic on the ligands.

5. The vaporizing system of claim 4 wherein the refractory metal includes tungsten, tantalum, or molybdenum.

6. The vaporizing system of claim 4 wherein the conductive ceramic includes silicon carbide.

7. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein each void has an effective diameter equal to or greater than the effective diameter of the particulate material.

8. The vaporizing system of claim 7 wherein each void has an effective diameter greater than two times the effective diameter of the particulate material.

9. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein the average residence time of the particulate material in the reticulated material structure is less than 2 seconds.

10. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein the particulate material is selected to change from a solid to a vapor state, or through a liquid state before vaporizing.

11. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein the reticulated material structure is vibrated.

12. The vaporizing system of claim 1 wherein the heat-causing means is a separate heating element.

13. The vaporizing system of claim 1 further including means to cool the particulate material before it reaches the reticulated material structure.