Mesostructural study on graphenic-based carbon prepared from coconut shells by heat treatment and liquid exfoliation

Simple and High-Yield Synthesis of a Thinner Layer of Graphenic Carbon from Coconut Shells

“…A single pyrolysis method offers a convenient way to produce GC from OCS in large quantities. Yields produced by this route are relatively substantial compared to those synthesized via a chemical-assisted wet method [20]. An electrochemical exfoliation of graphite can produce graphene with high yield [33], but it is challenging for industrial-scale production because of its complicated setup and the use of electrolytes.…”

“…This method involves the preparation of OCS-charcoals by a burning process before performing the second heat treatment. A comprehensive study of the sample structures was reported in [20]. The LPE procedure carried out in HCl 1 M solution after the heat treatment results in the absence of secondary phases.…”

“…The mixed powders are then pyrolyzed inside a sealed quartz tube at 650°C and 900°C for 3 h with a heating rate of 10°C/min. The pyrolysis temperature is determined based on the thermogravimetry analysis of coconut shells reported in our previous study [20], in which biomass degradation mostly takes place below 400°C. During the heating process, the temperature is held at 350°C for 1 h to ensure the decomposition of celluloses.…”

“…Finally, the resulting paste is dried to get the powdered sample. The detailed route is reported in [20].…”

“…Graphenic carbon (GC) is a more general term to describe materials that are primarily composed of carbon and exhibit graphene-like characteristics to some extent. GC has a morphology that partially resembles a few-to-multilayer graphene sheet [20], and it can be synthesized from carbon-rich natural resources such as biomass, including coconut shells, palm oil waste, and agricultural waste [20,21]. Among other wastes, coconut shell has high carbon content, low ash content, and high surface area after carbonization and activation [22,23].…”