Waste gases in the catalytic synthesis of carbon nanomaterials by pyrolytic decomposition of a propane-butane mixture

Abstract

It is known that during the process of carbon nanomaterials synthesis, gaseous products and various unknown hydrocarbons are formed. Thus, the production of carbon nanomaterials could damage the environment. A detailed analysis of all gaseous products during the pyrolysis process is needed in order to clarify the nature of the formed substances and to control the technological characteristics of the catalyst. The chemical composition study of exhaust gases was made on the facility of propane-butane mixture pyrolysis for the carbon nanomaterial synthesis. The analysis of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of the extracts is made using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. A quantitative analysis of gases was made by gas chromatography coupled with a heat conduction detector and a flame ionization detector. It was established that the concentrations of some PAHs exceed 14, 20, 90 and 100 times much as a maximum permissible concentration in the air. It was found that the appropriate devices of carbon nanomaterial production should be used in order to eliminate the PAHs that are formed.