Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub>
The electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> in molten carbonate has been introduced as an alternative mechanism to synthesize carbon nanomaterials inexpensively at high yield. Until recently, CO<sub>2</sub> was thought to be unreactive, making its removal a challenge. CO<sub>2&l...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Catalysts |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/2/137 |
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| author | Xinye Liu Gad Licht Xirui Wang Stuart Licht |
| author_facet | Xinye Liu Gad Licht Xirui Wang Stuart Licht |
| author_sort | Xinye Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> in molten carbonate has been introduced as an alternative mechanism to synthesize carbon nanomaterials inexpensively at high yield. Until recently, CO<sub>2</sub> was thought to be unreactive, making its removal a challenge. CO<sub>2</sub> is the main cause of anthropogenic global warming and its utilization and transformation into a stable, valuable material provides an incentivized pathway to mitigate climate change. This study focuses on controlled electrochemical conditions in molten lithium carbonate to split CO<sub>2</sub> absorbed from the atmosphere into carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and into various macroscopic assemblies of CNTs, which may be useful for nano-filtration. Different CNT morphologies were prepared electrochemically by variation of the anode and cathode composition and architecture, variation of the electrolyte composition pre-electrolysis processing, and variation of the current application and current density. Individual CNT morphologies’ structures and the CNT molten carbonate growth mechanisms are explored using SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron micrsocopy), HAADF (high angle annular dark field), EDX (energy dispersive xray), X-ray diffraction), and Raman methods. The principle commercial technology for CNT production had been chemical vapor deposition, which is an order of magnitude more expensive, generally requires metallo-organics, rather than CO<sub>2</sub> as reactants, and can be highly energy and CO<sub>2</sub> emission intensive (carries a high carbon positive, rather than negative, footprint). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:22:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43968638964a43d586ec729b6840009d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:22:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-43968638964a43d586ec729b6840009d2023-11-23T19:11:51ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442022-01-0112213710.3390/catal12020137Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub>Xinye Liu0Gad Licht1Xirui Wang2Stuart Licht3Department of Chemistry, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USAC2CNT, Carbon Corp, 1035 26 St NE, Calgary, AB T2A 6K8, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USADepartment of Chemistry, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USAThe electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> in molten carbonate has been introduced as an alternative mechanism to synthesize carbon nanomaterials inexpensively at high yield. Until recently, CO<sub>2</sub> was thought to be unreactive, making its removal a challenge. CO<sub>2</sub> is the main cause of anthropogenic global warming and its utilization and transformation into a stable, valuable material provides an incentivized pathway to mitigate climate change. This study focuses on controlled electrochemical conditions in molten lithium carbonate to split CO<sub>2</sub> absorbed from the atmosphere into carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and into various macroscopic assemblies of CNTs, which may be useful for nano-filtration. Different CNT morphologies were prepared electrochemically by variation of the anode and cathode composition and architecture, variation of the electrolyte composition pre-electrolysis processing, and variation of the current application and current density. Individual CNT morphologies’ structures and the CNT molten carbonate growth mechanisms are explored using SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron micrsocopy), HAADF (high angle annular dark field), EDX (energy dispersive xray), X-ray diffraction), and Raman methods. The principle commercial technology for CNT production had been chemical vapor deposition, which is an order of magnitude more expensive, generally requires metallo-organics, rather than CO<sub>2</sub> as reactants, and can be highly energy and CO<sub>2</sub> emission intensive (carries a high carbon positive, rather than negative, footprint).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/2/137nanocarboncarbon nanotubescarbon dioxide electrolysismolten carbonategreenhouse gas mitigation |
| spellingShingle | Xinye Liu Gad Licht Xirui Wang Stuart Licht Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> Catalysts nanocarbon carbon nanotubes carbon dioxide electrolysis molten carbonate greenhouse gas mitigation |
| title | Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_full | Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_fullStr | Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_short | Controlled Transition Metal Nucleated Growth of Carbon Nanotubes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_sort | controlled transition metal nucleated growth of carbon nanotubes by molten electrolysis of co sub 2 sub |
| topic | nanocarbon carbon nanotubes carbon dioxide electrolysis molten carbonate greenhouse gas mitigation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/2/137 |
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