Formation of soot particles

Abstract

Probable mechanisms are discussed of the formation processes of pyrolytic carbon films and soot particles, based on experimental investigations of their formation rates. Both are two-stage processes including nucleation and growth of nuclei. The formation of pyrolytic carbon from methane at temperatures below 1300 K is a molecular process. The activation energy of the formation of a plane nuclei is about 80, and of their growth about 50 kcal/mol. The formation of soot particles may take place in two ways differing in the nature of the nuclei as well as in the structure of the soot particles obtained.