Advanced sampling and characterization techniques of nanoparticle products resulting from thermal decomposition processes

The morphological analysis of flame generated carbon clusters is object of this work. Some methods to characterize this particulate on the basis of the fractal approach are briefly reported. Experiments are performed by sampling on the axis of ethylene-air diffusion flame. Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscope is worked out by application of the Nesting Square technique. Results show that the fractal dimension is not constant in correspondence of different residence times within the flame, in accord with previous works from the same authors performed by static light scattering techniques. Finally, a comparison is performed between the of aggregate morphology observed in flame experiments at temperatures about 1400 °C (Diffusion Limited Cluster-Cluster Aggregation) with respect to the shape of clusters generated by a slower agglomeration process at 70°C temperature (Reaction Limited Cluster-Cluster Aggregation).