APPARATUS AND METHODS OF FORMING SOLID CARBON
A method of reducing a carbon oxide to a lower oxidation state by providing a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent in a reaction vessel, evaporating the solvent to leave a film of the metal acetate on an interior surface of the reaction vessel, and reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the reaction vessel to produce a solid carbon product on the metal acetate is disclosed. Another method includes dispersing particles in a gas. The particles include a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent. The solvent is evaporated to form particles including the metal acetate. An apparatus includes a capillary tube configured to receive and emit a solution, an electrode, and a voltage source connected to the capillary tube, the voltage source having a higher potential than the electrode.
1 . A method of reducing a carbon oxide to a lower oxidation state, the method comprising:
providing a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent in a reaction vessel;
evaporating the solvent to leave a film of the metal acetate on an interior surface of the reaction vessel; and
reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the reaction vessel to produce a solid carbon product on the metal acetate.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of the metal acetate.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and specially denatured alcohol.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent comprises forming solid carbon and water.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising removing the water from the reaction vessel while reacting the carbon oxide with the gaseous reducing agent.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a solution of a metal acetate comprises providing a solution of a metal acetate comprising iron (II) acetate.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an elemental metal from the metal acetate.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent comprises providing a solution comprising acetic acid.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the reaction vessel comprises reacting carbon dioxide with a gaseous reducing agent at a temperature of about 500° C. or higher.
10 . A method of reducing a carbon oxide to a lower oxidation state, the method comprising:
dispersing droplets in a gas, the droplets comprising a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent;
evaporating the solvent to form particles comprising the metal acetate;
reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the presence of the particles to produce a solid carbon product thereon.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein dispersing droplets comprising a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent comprises spraying the solution through a nozzle.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein spraying the solution through a nozzle comprises spraying the solution downward.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein dispersing droplets comprising a solution of a metal acetate in a solvent comprises applying a voltage to a capillary tube containing the solution.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein dispersing droplets in a gas comprises dispersing droplets comprising a solution comprising acetic acid in the gas.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the presence of the particles comprises reacting carbon dioxide with a gaseous reducing agent at a temperature of about 500° C. or higher.
16 . An apparatus for forming solid carbon, the apparatus comprising:
a capillary tube configured to receive a solution and emit the solution generally along a line perpendicular to an opening of the capillary tube;
an electrode surrounding the line without intersecting the line; and
a voltage source connected to the capillary tube, the voltage source having a higher potential than the electrode.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising an array of capillary tubes.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrode forms an effective ground plane intersecting the line.
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrode comprises a ring encircling the line.