Enhance Chemical Reactions with Magnetic Fields

Introduction

In the complex world of chemical reactions, controlling reaction rates is crucial to ensure optimal efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. From pharmaceuticals to energy production, industries rely on precise chemical processes to create high-quality products. Our patented method of using magnetic fields to control reaction rates offers a groundbreaking solution, providing enhanced control, improved efficiency, and greater flexibility in various chemical processes.

Challenges in Controlling Chemical Reactions

In many industries, chemical reactions are the backbone of production processes. Whether it’s the synthesis of new materials, the development of pharmaceutical compounds, or the conversion of energy, the ability to control reaction rates is essential. Traditionally, reaction rates are manipulated through temperature, pressure, or the use of catalysts. However, these methods can be inefficient, costly, or limited in effectiveness, especially when dealing with complex or sensitive reactions.

Without precise control over these reactions, companies face challenges such as wasted resources, suboptimal product quality, and increased production costs. For industries that depend on chemical reactions, finding innovative ways to improve control and efficiency is a priority.

Why Choose Magnetic Field-Driven Reaction Control?

Our patented method offers a transformative approach by applying magnetic fields to control the rate of chemical reactions. This technology provides an unprecedented level of precision and flexibility, allowing industries to fine-tune reaction speeds without the need for excessive heat, pressure, or expensive catalysts. The magnetic field interacts with specific materials or reactants, altering their behavior in a way that enhances efficiency and performance.

For the pharmaceutical industry, this can mean more efficient drug production with higher yields and fewer byproducts. In energy applications, controlling reaction rates can lead to improved energy conversion and storage systems, contributing to more sustainable energy solutions. Across all sectors, the ability to manipulate reactions with this method offers significant cost savings, greater process safety, and enhanced product quality.

Key Benefits

Precise Control: Adjust reaction rates with magnetic fields for greater precision.
Improved Efficiency: Optimizes reactions, reducing waste and improving resource utilization.
Cost Savings: Reduces the need for expensive catalysts or extreme conditions.
Versatile Applications: Applicable to a wide range of industries, from pharmaceuticals to energy.

Optimize Your Chemical Processes with Magnetic Control

Licensing this technology allows industries to take advantage of a novel method for controlling chemical reaction rates. By applying magnetic fields, companies can improve the efficiency, safety, and scalability of their chemical processes, ensuring high-quality products and more sustainable operations.

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Abstract
Claims

Methods and apparatus to control reaction rates of chemical reactions. Methods can include mixing chemical reactants to provide a reaction mixture, at least one chemical reactant being magnetic; and applying a magnetic field to the reaction mixture, the magnetic field being applied to effect a control of the rate of a chemical reaction between the reactants in the reaction mixture, the magnetic field being effective to change the reaction rate over a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

We claim:

1. A method of promoting a chemical reaction, the method comprising the steps of:

admixing at least two chemical precursors, at least one of the chemical precursors including a carbon compound selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphene, coal, diamond, cellulose, proteins, and various combinations thereof, wherein at least one chemical precursor or its intermediate is magnetic after application of a magnetic field; and

applying a magnetic field to the chemical precursors to effect a chemical reaction of the at least two of the chemical precursors, wherein the chemical reaction has a reaction rate wherein the magnetic field is effective to increase the reaction rate at least 14 percent over a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature after the same time period of reaction where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an initial reaction temperature is in the range of about 25° to 1000° Celsius.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an initial reaction occurs at a temperature in a range of about 25° to about 75° Celsius.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein during the application of the magnetic field, the carbon of the precursor or its intermediate undergoes a dynamic transition to become magnetic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is in the range of up to about 50 Tesla (T).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the magnetic field is about 0.5 T.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is constant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field varies over time in the range of about 0 to 500 seconds and space in the range of about 0 to 1 micron.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction occurs in an oxygenated environment in the range of about 1 to 80 percent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction occurs in a pressure range of about 10⁻⁹to 10⁸atm.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises admixing a magnetic alloy catalyst with the chemical precursors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the magnetic alloy catalyst is selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, neodymium, nickel and combinations thereof, in the range of about 1 to 40 percent weight.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one precursor is graphite and the chemical reaction includes the oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide in the presence of an oxidizer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction includes the nitration of graphene.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one precursor is coal and the chemical reaction includes the combustion of coal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction functionalizes graphene.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises including the chemical reaction reagents selected from the group consisting of perchlorates, borates, chromates, oxides, cobaltates, nickelates, vandates, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction occurs in an anaerobic environment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the anaerobic environment includes Argon gas.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a precursor is para-magnetic or ferro-magnetic.

21. A method of controlling a reaction rate of a chemical reaction, the method comprising:

mixing at least two chemical reactants, at least one chemical reactant including a compound which includes carbon and at least one reactant being an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, NaNO₃, KMnO₄and mixtures thereof to provide a reaction mixture, at least one chemical reactant being magnetic after application of a magnetic field; and

applying the magnetic field to the reaction mixture, the magnetic field being applied to effect a control of the rate of a chemical reaction between the reactants in the reaction mixture, the magnetic field being effective to change the reaction rate over a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the reaction mixture has an initial reaction temperature in the range of about 25° to 1000° Celsius.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the initial reaction temperature is in a range of about 25° to about 75° Celsius.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one chemical reactant is selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphene, coal, diamond, cellulose, proteins, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the magnetic field is in the range of from about 0.5 to about 50 Tesla.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the magnetic field is in the range of from about 0.5 to about 50 Tesla.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the reaction rate is increased with the reaction being exposed to the magnetic field.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the reaction rate is decreased with the reaction being exposed to the magnetic field.

29. An apparatus configured to effect a chemical reaction during which the reaction is exposed to a magnetic field, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber configured to blend chemical reactants and react the chemical reactants, at least one first chemical reactant selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphene, coal, diamond, cellulose, proteins, and combinations thereof and at least one second reactant selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, NaNO₃, KMnO₄and mixtures thereof; and

a magnetic field source device effective to expose the first and second reactants to a magnetic field magnetic field within the chamber, the magnetic field source device effective for providing a magnetic field in the range of from about 0.5 to about 50 Tesla and also to effect an increase a reaction rate of the chemical reactants by at least 14 percent as compared to a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature after the same time period of reaction where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the chamber is effective for containing reactions which have a temperature in the range of about 25° to 1000° Celsius.

31. A method of increasing a reaction rate of a chemical reaction, the method comprising:

mixing at least two chemical reactants at least one chemical reactant including a compound which is selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphene, coal, diamond, cellulose, proteins, and combinations thereof and at least one reactant being an oxidizer to provide a reaction mixture, at least one chemical reactant being magnetic after application of a magnetic field; and

applying a magnetic field to the reaction mixture, the magnetic field being applied to effect an increase of the rate of a chemical reaction which oxidizes or functionalizes the carbon compound, the magnetic field being effective to increase the reaction rate by at least 14 percent as compared to a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature after the same time period of reaction where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical reaction functionalizes the carbon compound.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein the carbon compound is selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphene, coal, diamond, cellulose, proteins, and combinations thereof, the chemical reaction functionalized the carbon compound and the reaction rate is increased by at least 14 percent over a chemical reaction between the same reactants at the same pressure and temperature after the same time period of reaction where the reaction mixture is not exposed to the magnetic field.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the chemical reaction functionalizes the carbon compound.

Title

Methods and apparatus to control reaction rates of chemical reactions by applying a magnetic field

Inventor(s)

Reginald B. Little, James W. Mitchell

Assignee(s)

Howard University

Patent #

9511343

Patent Date

December 6, 2016