Diagnostics in dusty C–H–O plasmas with diamond and graphitic nanoparticle generation

• Published in: Plasma sources science & technology Vol. 19; no. 2; p. 025015
• Main Authors: Gries, T, Vandenbulcke, L, Rouzaud, J N, de Persis, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.04.2010; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Carbon; Chemical Sciences; Electron density; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic confinement and equilibrium; Material chemistry; Mathematical models; Nanocomposites; Nanocrystals; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Optical (ultraviolet, visible, infrared) measurements; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Plasma diagnostic techniques and instrumentation; Plasmas; Soot; Tokamaks; Methane; Tokamak; Nucleation; Diamonds; Hydrocarbons; Mass spectroscopy; Nanostructures; Carbon; Nanoparticles; Plasma diagnostics; Optical method; Confined plasma; Electron density
• ISSN: 0963-0252; 1361-6595
• DOI: 10.1088/0963-0252/19/2/025015

A decrease in electron density and a strong increase of electron energy, which induce the enhancement of excitation rates, have been observed in CH4--CO2 plasmas when the inlet methane concentration is high enough and the input microwave power sufficiently low. Together with the decrease in the electron density with plasma duration, they are characteristic of dust formation in these plasmas. In these conditions, the formation of hydrocarbon radicals which are well known precursors of soot and the formation of first stable aromatics are reported, as observed by molecular beam mass spectrometry. Modelling of the chemistry in the plasma is carried out, which can also predict the formation of low concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. These species could be involved in the homogeneous nucleation process of carbon. As a function of the plasma duration, various carbon nanostructures are observed in the particles collected downstream of the plasma. For short durations, nanodiamond grains are formed with the size range 15--100 nm. They are composed of diamond nanocrystals of about 2--10 nm in size; these values are generally observed for all diamond nanocrystals formed in extraterrestrial and terrestrial conditions. For longer plasma durations, sp2-hybridized carbons are obtained. Their structure varies from soot to more ordered graphitic carbons nearly similar to 'onions' and structures similar to those observed in tokamaks. The control of the size and the microstructure of the nanodiamond grains are especially important as this could open possibilities for applications in a wide range of fields.