Synthesis of carbon nanomaterials by means of microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose

Abstract

The growing demand for carbon nanotubes, which are typical representatives of the class of carbon nanomaterials and have unique physical and chemical properties, necessitates the search for available and renewable hydrocarbon resources for their production and development of an energy-efficient and a highly productive synthesis method. The prospects of using lignocellulosic biomass and its wastes as a carbon source for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by means of microwave catalytic pyrolysis are considered. The expediency of research in this direction is emphasized. It is noted that one of the parameters responsible for the process of pyrolytic synthesis of carbon nanotubes is the concentration of microwave radiation absorber, which determines pyrolysis temperature. The effect of changing the concentration of microwave absorber in reaction mixture on the catalytic synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes during microwave pyrolysis of cellulose has been studied. It is shown that a change in the microwave acceptor content from 10 to 30% is accompanied by an increase in the concentration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes of disordered morphology in reaction mixture. A two-stage pyrolysis-synthesis process is suggested. The results of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray phase analysis of the obtained products are considered.

Keywords

• plant raw materials
• carbon nanotubes
• cellulose
• microwave absorbers
• concentration
• microwave processing
• pyrolysis