Nucleation and growth of carbon black particles during thermal decomposition of benzene

The authors determined the mechanism of carbon black formation during the thermal decomposition of benzene diluted with a stream of nitrogen. The kinetics study of nucleation and growth of particles led them to the following conclusions: The initial hydrocarbon is transformed by a gas phase reaction into macromolecules. The partial pressure of the macromolecules increases with reaction time until a supersaturation is high enough to induce condensation of macromolecules into droplets. The formation of liquid nuclei eliminates the supersaturation, and the formation of additional liquid nuclei becomes impossible. The macromolecules which continue to be formed maintain the nuclei growth. The liquid droplets are pyrolysed into a solid material. A statistical study of the distribution curves of the particle diameters indicates that the growth rate of each particle is proportional to its diameter.