PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF FULLERENES

-14- A process is disclosed to synthesize fullerenes in a plasma reactor. It comprises introducing various amounts of carbon halides as the plasma forming gas in a plasma torch capable of producing a high enough temperature flame to dissociate the carbon bearing molecules into carbon and halogen atoms, hence forming a carbon cloud which condenses into a soot containing fullerenes. Also hydrocarbons and/or inert gases can be introduced in the torch as the plasma forming gas and reacted with carbon halides or halogens injected therewith or directly into the plasma flame at the exit of the torch. The process can use a high enthalpy non- transferred d.c. plasma torch or an induction plasma torch as the plasma generating device. A process is disclosed to synthesize fullerenes in a plasma reactor. It comprises introducing various amounts of carbon halides as the plasma forming gas in a plasma torch capable of producing a high enough temperature flame to dissociate the carbon bearing molecules into carbon and halogen atoms, hence forming a carbon cloud which condenses into a soot containing fullerenes. Also hydrocarbons and/or inert gases can be introduced in the torch as the plasma forming gas and reacted with carbon halides or halogens injected therewith or directly into the plasma flame at the exit of the torch. The process can use a high enthalpy nontransferred d.c. plasma torch or an induction plasma torch as the plasma generating device.