Effect of iron on the soot formation of different model compounds pyrolysis

Control soot generation among hydrocarbon fuels efficient and clean utilization process is a significant challenge. This paper presents the physical and chemical characteristics of soot samples derived from model compounds (biphenyl, naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene) mixed with ferric nitrate pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere. Characterization was conducted with transmission electron microscopy(TEM), Raman spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicate that the soot indicates that four model compounds have similar primary diameters. The size of microcrystals in soot was proportional to the number of aromatic rings of the model compounds. The addition of fer ric nitrate induces a 7–20 % decrease in the diameter of soot primary particles. Meanwhile, the size of the microcrystals in the primary particles increased and the curvature decreased but did not affect the stacking distance of the crystallites. With the number of aromatic rings of the model compound increasing, the content of aliphatic chains in soot formation under the same conditions tends to rise. This suggests that the ring-opening reaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is an essential process in soot formation. Additionally, the involvement of iron led to the production of more aliphatic functional groups and the generation of oxygen-containing functional groups.