Conversion of CO₂‐Derived Amorphous Carbon into Flash Graphene Additives

Abstract

CO2 emissions have become a significant environmental problem over the last few decades, often stemming from combustion of fossil fuels. Production and disposal of waste plastic also contribute greatly to greenhouse gas emissions, due to combustion of fossil fuels during manufacture and incineration or pyrolysis of the waste materials. Hence, researchers have begun developing technologies geared toward the capture, sequestration, and utilization of CO2. Several methods are shown to be useful for conversion of gaseous CO2 into solid carbon feedstocks, such as molten carbonate electrolysis. At the same time, flash Joule heating can rapidly and inexpensively convert carbon‐rich feedstocks into flash graphene (FG). Here, amorphous carbon derived from molten carbonate electrolysis of carbon dioxide is converted into FG, sometimes in combination with waste plastic, and demonstrated for use as a reinforcing additive in composite applications. FG can be used in epoxy and vinyl ester resins with a maximum increase in Young's modulus and hardness of 73% and 73%, respectively. Life cycle assessment also shows that adding 5 wt% 25:75 amorphous carbon‐derived FG to the epoxy results in 7.7%, 5%, and 2.7% decreases in CO2 emissions, water consumption, and energy consumption, respectively.

Turning CO2 into sustainable graphene: a comprehensive review of recent synthesis techniques and developments

“…Analysis of the I D /I G and I 2D /I G ratios were 0.84 and 0.55 respectively, suggesting successful conversion of amorphous carbon to graphene. The process yield for this sample, calculated as the ratio of product mass to reactant mass, was approximately 70% [159].…”

“…On the other hand, incorporating CO 2 -derived graphene into composite materials has great potential and can enhance their mechanical strength, making them suitable for greater usage in aerospace, automotive, and construction industries. In a study conducted by Advincula et al, amorphous carbon was transformed into successfully FG through the flash Joule heating method by the utilization of CO 2 for use as a reinforcing additive in composite applications as illustrated in figure 9 [159]. In addition, Zhang et al aimed to create graphene-boron oxide nanocomposites with ammonia borane using CO 2 as a starting material [156].…”

“…The usage of CO2 derived graphene References Adsorption capacity Adsorbents for water purification, membrane filter [166][167][168][169][170][171] Composite materials in automotive and aerospace industry High-performance composite filler, energy efficiency in vehicle and aircraft components, coatings, lubricant and films, thermal management in heat dissipation [156,159,[172][173][174] Energy storage devices Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors and capacitive deionization [8,[175][176][177] Photonics and quantum technologies Electronic industry Photocatalyst and sensors, flexible electronics, optoelectronic devices and sensors, enabling advancements in technology. In this context, significant advances and understanding of graphene-based semiconductors and their potential as promising candidates for solar fuel conversion draw attention to utilize electrochemical CO 2 capture technologies in the electric field with an effective and controllability strategy [178].…”

Recent Progresses in Pyrolysis of Plastic Packaging Wastes and Biomass Materials for Conversion of High-Value Carbons: A Review

“…Wyss et al [ 75 ] used calcium acetate (Ca (OAc) 2 ) as the activator during the FJH of plastic packaging wastes including carbonated beverage bottles, milk jugs, grocery bags, food packaging, and coffee cups, and the holey and wrinkled FG with high surface area and defect concentration was found to be effective as a metal-free hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst, Li-metal battery anode, and CO 2 gas adsorption material. Advincula et al [ 76 ] found that FG obtained after the FJH of WPE and amorphous carbon (AmoC) derived from CO 2 had a maximum yield of 50 wt%, which could enhance the mechanical properties of composite materials as an additive.…”