The effect of air/fuel ratio on properties and reactivity of combustion soots

The dependence of specific properties of black carbon (BC) soots on fuel type and combustion conditions has been studied, and the effects of these properties on soot particle hydration and reaction with ozone determined. Series of soots were prepared from n-hexane, diesel and JP8 aircraft fuels, utilizing a flow combustion system designed for accurate control of the air/fuel ratio in premixed flames. It has been shown that, for each of these, linear relationships exist between the state of soot surface oxidation, surface area, unpaired electron spin density, and air/fuel ratio. The interrelationship of these properties potentially enables the preparation of soots with pre-selected characteristics by establishing combustion conditions for each fuel type. Predictable variations in these soot characteristics have been demonstrated through preparations near sea level and at higher elevation. Soot hydration and its reactivity with ozone are quantitatively related to surface oxidation and, thus, the air/fuel combustion ratio for soot's formation in premixed flames. The effect of relative humidity (RH) on the soot-ozone reaction over the O-3 concentration and RH ranges 2-4.8 ppm and 17-78%, respectively, is expressed by -d [O-3] /dt = k [O-3](2) [H2O](0.2) and is directly related to particle surface oxidation.