Issue 66, 2015

The effect of CO2 on the CVD synthesis of carbon nanomaterials using fly ash as a catalyst

Abstract

The efficient use of fly ash is a worldwide issue due to its high production and harmful effects on the environment. In this work the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) via the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method, using fly ash as a catalyst and CO2 as an alternate carbon source, was investigated. Here CO2 was employed in three different ways: (1) as a sole carbon source, (2) as an additive to C2H2 and (3) as a carbon source prior to the reaction of C2H2 with fly ash. SEM, TEM and laser Raman spectroscopy confirmed that CNMs were formed in all three cases. In the first case, when CO2 was used as a sole carbon source, CNMs were formed in low yields with a considerable amount of amorphous carbon. However, in the second case when CO2 was used as an additive to C2H2, a drastic increase in CNM formation was observed. In both cases optimal yields were observed at 600 °C. However in the third case, when CO2 was used as a carbon source prior to the reaction with C2H2, uniform-sized nanofibers of the highest yields of all three cases were formed. Likewise these CNMs were found to be the most thermally stable. Hence this study has shown that the use of waste materials such as fly ash as a catalyst and CO2 as a carbon source prior to the reaction with C2H2, results in a very simple and cost efficient process to make uniformally shaped, thermally stable CNMs.

Graphical abstract: The effect of CO2 on the CVD synthesis of carbon nanomaterials using fly ash as a catalyst

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Apr 2015
Accepted
28 May 2015
First published
02 Jun 2015
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 53776-53781

Author version available

The effect of CO2 on the CVD synthesis of carbon nanomaterials using fly ash as a catalyst

N. Hintsho, A. Shaikjee, P. K. Tripathi, P. Franklyn and S. Durbach, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 53776 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA06892D

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