Kinetics of Carbon Cluster Formation
in the Course of C₃O₂ Pyrolysis

H. Gg. Wagner*, P. A. Vlasov**, K. J. Dorge*, A. V. Eremin***, I. S. Zaslonko^†**, and D. Tanke*

* Institut fur Physikalische Chemie, Georg–August Universitat, Guttingen, Germany

** Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117977 Russia

*** Scientific Research Center for Thermophysics of Pulse Action, Joint Institute for High Temperatures,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127412 Russia

Received February 18, 2000

Abstract—The kinetics of the formation of condensed carbon particles in the thermal decomposition of C₃O₂
molecules behind shock waves was experimentally studied at temperatures of 1200–2500 K, pressures of
~2060 atm, and molar fractions of C₃O₂ in a mixture with argon in the range 0.03–2.00%. The concentration
of condensed carbon particles was measured by the absorption of laser radiation at wavelengths of 632.8 and
1064 nm. The experimental results were compared with data calculated in the framework of three different
models. Two of these models (analytical) include the kinetics of the formation of the particle-size distribution
function and give a simplified description of the kinetics of gas-phase reactions involving C₃O₂ and decompo-
sition fragments. The third model (numerical) combines detailed descriptions of the kinetics and the coagula-
tion dynamics. Several types of condensed carbon particles were considered: carbon clusters, soot particles, and
fullerenes. The transitions between various forms of condensed carbon particles were included into the kinetic
scheme of the model. All main observed specific features of the growth kinetics of condensed carbon particles
during C₃O₂ pyrolysis can be described in terms of these models.

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