초록

Apparatus and methods of use thereof for the production of carbon-based and other nanostructures, as well as fuels and reformed products, are provided.

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1. A method for the direct synthesis of a carbon-based nanostructure, wherein the carbon-based nanostructure is synthesized by multiple flames produced by reacting an oxidizer and a fuel in a non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner, wherein said carbon-based nanostructure is selected

1. A method for the direct synthesis of a carbon-based nanostructure, wherein the carbon-based nanostructure is synthesized by multiple flames produced by reacting an oxidizer and a fuel in a non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner, wherein said carbon-based nanostructure is selected from the group consisting of films, discs, plates, and sheets. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said nanostructure is selected from the group consisting of films and sheets. 3. The method of claim 1, where the non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner comprises an array of stabilized flames that form a uniform flat-flame front. 4. The method of claim 1, where the non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion flames are staged at different levels, or where inert(s), dopant(s), or other reactant(s) are introduced at level(s) different than the first level of stabilized inverse-diffusion flames. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer is air, O2, or another oxidizing agent. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon, hydrogen, CO, combustible liquid, combustible solid fuel, or other combustible gas. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-based nanostructure is graphene. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis vapors exiting the non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner are directed onto substrates or particles to form films and nanostructured coatings and preforms. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pyrolyzed species exiting the non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner a) are quenched to generate said carbon-based nanostructures by a vapor condensation mechanism; orb) provides heating, levitation, and coating of flat substrates, optionally wherein said substrates can translate and rotate in a continuous coating production mode. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising rapid quenching of a hot gas stream comprising pyrolyzed hydrocarbon, thereby generating said carbon-based nanostructure, wherein said hot gas stream optionally further comprises a reactive species. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said reactive species is selected from the group consisting of BH3, H3NBH3, SiH4 and (CH3)3SiH), thereby generating carbon-based nanostructures that are enriched in B, N, Si, or mixtures thereof. 12. The method of claim 1, where the pyrolysis vapors contain additives, thereby forming doped carbon-based materials. 13. A method of synthesizing molecular hydrogen or a syngas, said method comprising reacting an oxidizer and a fuel in a non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner to synthesize said molecular hydrogen or syngas, and isolating the synthesized molecular hydrogen or syngas. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said fuel is selected from the group consisting of methane, natural gas, methanol, gasoline, diesel, JP-8, and biofuels. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein molecular hydrogen is synthesized and said oxidizer is oxygen and said fuel is a hydrocarbon or methane. 16. A flame-deposition reactor comprising a multiple inverse-diffusion flame (IDF) burner, wherein said IDF burner comprises a reconfigured catalytic converter,wherein said reconfigured catalytic converter provides separate feed streams for oxidizer and fuel, andwherein said IDF burner is configured such that the post-flame gas stream is deposited on a non-catalytic, solid or liquid substrate. 17. The flame-deposition reactor of claim 16, wherein said non-catalytic, solid or liquid substrate is Cu or liquid Sn. 18. The flame-deposition reactor of claim 16, wherein said non-catalytic, solid or liquid substrate is heated in hydrogen to remove oxides from its surface. 19. A method of synthesizing molecular hydrogen, said method comprising reacting an oxidizer and a fuel in a non-premixed, multiple, inverse-diffusion-flame burner to synthesize said molecular hydrogen, and isolating the synthesized molecular hydrogen. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said fuel is a hydrocarbon or methane.