Influence of Various Promotors and Inhibitors of Soot Formation on the Production of Soot Nuclei

Soot formation during pyrolysis and oxidation of rich mixtures of aliphatic hydrocarbons with single and multiple bonds in the presence of promotors (aromatic and metalorganic compounds) and inhibitors (hydrogen additives) of soot formation is experimentally studied behind reflected shock waves and simulated within the framework of a proposed kinetic mechanism. The influence of small additives of toluene to propane was demonstrated to substantially promote soot formation, whereas iron pentacarbonyl addition to propane and acetylene was shown to dramatically widen the temperature interval of soot formation both to higher and lower temperatures. Soot particles formed in the presence of iron pentacarbonyl gained magnetic properties due to the formation of an iron core inside the soot particle. The influence of acetone and propane additives to acetylene/argon mixtures was also studied. This is important to estimate the influence of impurities inherent to commercially manufactured acetylene. Hydrogen additives to acetylene/Ar mixtures were found to suppress the process of soot formation.