Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub>
This study describes a world of new carbon “fullerene” allotropes that may be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis using greenhouse CO<sub>2</sub> as the reactant. Beyond the world of conventional diamond, graphite and buckyballs, a vast array of unique nanocarbon structures exis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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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/2073-4344/12/2/125 |
| _version_ | 1797482015498436608 |
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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 | This study describes a world of new carbon “fullerene” allotropes that may be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis using greenhouse CO<sub>2</sub> as the reactant. Beyond the world of conventional diamond, graphite and buckyballs, a vast array of unique nanocarbon structures exist. Until recently, CO<sub>2</sub> was thought to be unreactive. Here, we show that CO<sub>2</sub> can be transformed into distinct nano-bamboo, nano-pearl, nano-dragon, solid and hollow nano-onion, nano-tree, nano-rod, nano-belt and nano-flower morphologies of carbon. The capability to produce these allotropes at high purity by a straightforward electrolysis, analogous to aluminum production splitting of aluminum oxide, but instead nanocarbon production by splitting CO<sub>2</sub>, opens an array of inexpensive unique materials with exciting new high strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, charge storage, lubricant and robustness properties. Commercial production technology of nanocarbons had been chemical vapor deposition, which is ten-fold more expensive, generally requires metallo-organics reactants and has a highly carbon-positive rather than carbon-negative footprint. Different nanocarbon structures were prepared electrochemically by variation of anode and cathode composition and architecture, electrolyte composition, pre-electrolysis processing and current ramping and current density. Individual allotrope structures and initial growth mechanisms are explored by SEM, TEM, HAADF EDX, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:22:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7cbd1b12e8cb4ad2af215af9ca01ffa4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:22:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-7cbd1b12e8cb4ad2af215af9ca01ffa42023-11-23T19:11:40ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442022-01-0112212510.3390/catal12020125Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes 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, USAThis study describes a world of new carbon “fullerene” allotropes that may be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis using greenhouse CO<sub>2</sub> as the reactant. Beyond the world of conventional diamond, graphite and buckyballs, a vast array of unique nanocarbon structures exist. Until recently, CO<sub>2</sub> was thought to be unreactive. Here, we show that CO<sub>2</sub> can be transformed into distinct nano-bamboo, nano-pearl, nano-dragon, solid and hollow nano-onion, nano-tree, nano-rod, nano-belt and nano-flower morphologies of carbon. The capability to produce these allotropes at high purity by a straightforward electrolysis, analogous to aluminum production splitting of aluminum oxide, but instead nanocarbon production by splitting CO<sub>2</sub>, opens an array of inexpensive unique materials with exciting new high strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, charge storage, lubricant and robustness properties. Commercial production technology of nanocarbons had been chemical vapor deposition, which is ten-fold more expensive, generally requires metallo-organics reactants and has a highly carbon-positive rather than carbon-negative footprint. Different nanocarbon structures were prepared electrochemically by variation of anode and cathode composition and architecture, electrolyte composition, pre-electrolysis processing and current ramping and current density. Individual allotrope structures and initial growth mechanisms are explored by SEM, TEM, HAADF EDX, XRD and Raman spectroscopy.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/2/125nanocarboncarbon allotropescarbon nanotubescarbon nanofiberscarbon nano-onionscarbon dioxide electrolysis |
| spellingShingle | Xinye Liu Gad Licht Xirui Wang Stuart Licht Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> Catalysts nanocarbon carbon allotropes carbon nanotubes carbon nanofibers carbon nano-onions carbon dioxide electrolysis |
| title | Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_full | Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_fullStr | Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_short | Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO<sub>2</sub> |
| title_sort | controlled growth of unusual nanocarbon allotropes by molten electrolysis of co sub 2 sub |
| topic | nanocarbon carbon allotropes carbon nanotubes carbon nanofibers carbon nano-onions carbon dioxide electrolysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/2/125 |
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