NOVEL APPLICATIONS OF FLEXIBLE CARBON SPONGES
Tung Pham Ngoc
Suppervisors: - Prof. Jyri-Pekka Mikkola - Prof. Krisztian Kordas - William Larsson
Department of Chemistry
Umeå University
• Outline:
Introduction
Aim of the project
Experimental part
Results
Conclusion
Carbon materials
• Activated carbon
J. S. Im, J. Yun, S. C. Kang, S. K. Lee and Y.-S. Lee, Applied Surface Science 2012, 258, 2749-2756
http://www.exportersindia.com/active-char/products.htm?slno=347488
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-overstocked-aquarium.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon
Not only activated carbon..
H. Sun, Z. Xu and C. Gao, Advanced Materials 2013
- Carbon nanotubes. - Graphene. - 3D carbon structure
http://inhabitat.com/thermopower-wavesmit-scientists-discover-new-way-to-produce-electricity/
http://www.quirkyscience.com/graphene-isolation-characterization-application-and-production/
D. P. Hashim, N. T. Narayanan, J. M. Romo-Herrera, D. A. Cullen, M. G. Hahm, P. Lezzi, J. R. Suttle, D. Kelkhoff, E. Muñoz-Sandoval and S. Ganguli, Scientific reports 2012, 2
• BT foam, a material based on a thermoset resin.
• It has:
– Light weight.
– Open cell foam (more than 99% empty)
– Relatively cheap
• BT is mainly used in heat and noise insulation.
Starting material
Aim of the project
• Our aims:
– Create a multi-purpose product:
• Can be used as an adsorbent to remove contaminants from water (such as spill oil).
• Carrier for metal catalyst.
• Framework for the ’Artificial Leaf’
• Other electronic devices (will soon be tested ...)
• Other applications...
Courtesy Chris Wilkins/AFP/Getty Images
http://www.gettyimages.com/
Experimental part • The BT samples were subject to different pyrolysis
temperatures (600, 650, 700, 750 and 800 0C) to explore the characteristics of the material after the treatment.
• The optimized activation conditions chosen was 800 0C
• Oil adsorption test was performed by putting a drop of curde oil in water and the hydrophobic version (can float on water) was used to adsorb the oil
• The oil adsorption capability was conducted as in ref. (1)
(1) Hashim, D. P.; Narayanan, N. T.; Romo-Herrera, J. M.; Cullen, D. A.; Hahm, M. G.; Lezzi, P.; Suttle, J. R.; Kelkhoff, D.; Muñoz-Sandoval, E.; Ganguli, S.; Roy, A. K.; Smith, D. J.; Vajtai, R.; Sumpter, B. G.; Meunier, V.; Terrones, H.; Terrones, M.; Ajayan, P. M. Sci. Rep. 2012, 2.
Carbonization conditions
• Temperature ramp: 1 0C/min.
• Nitrogen atsmosphere: 50 ml/min.
• Carbonization time: 1 hour at the highest
temperature.
Activation conditions • Initiated imidiately after the carbonization
step was concluded
• Activation temperature: 800 0C
• Activation time: 2 hours
• Nitrogen: 50 ml/min
• CO2 (2%): 1 ml/min
Results • After pyrolysis and activated at choosen
condition, the samples were reduced in size and weight but were are still soft and flexible
• This implicates superior mechanical strength compared to usually optained brittle materials
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
600 650 700 750 800
%
Sample’s shrinkage after pyrolysis
Length loss
Weight loss
Pyrolysis temperature, 0C
SEM- 1K of Magnification
Starting material 600 0C
800 0C Activated sample
SEM-10K of Magnification
600 0C
800 0C Activated sample
Starting material
XPS results
0,0
10,0
20,0
30,0
40,0
50,0
60,0
70,0
80,0
Starting material 600 650 700 750 800
%
Elemental compositions C
N
O
Na
Pyrolysis temperature, 0C
4 4 4 3 2 4
332
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Startingmaterial
600 650 700 750 800 Activatedsample
m2
/g
BET results
Activated sample
TEM image of activated sample
- After activation the sample has high surface area thus it is ready to serve e.g. as a carrier for metal catalysts
Oil adsorption experiment
Sample
Crude oil
Water
• Using the sample which was pyrolysed at 600 Deg.C to adsorp the crude oil on water
• The oil adsortion capability of the sample is up to 70-80 times of its weight • The material can be reused after the oil adsoportion test by burning the oil
from the sample or squeezing to remove the oil from the sample by physical force
Conclusions • We have an interesting material which can be
used for various purposes.
• It has some advatages such as:
– Cheap material:
• Think a about the price of the starting material which we can use not only as ’of the factory self’ but also as used BT foam (e.g. construction waste)
• Simple treatment process
Conclusions
– We can create the final products in any size (limited by the size of furnace) and shapes which has been identified.
Future work
• Additional measurement
– Measure the contact angle, electrical conductivity, etc. ... of the material
– Application in ’Artificial Leaf’ devices
– Catalytic tests after the deposition of metal catalysts on the surface
– and more....
Acknowledgments
– Prof. Jyri-Pekka Mikkola
– Prof. Krisztian Kordas
– Prof. Knut Irgum
– Nordic ChemQuest AB
– Ajaikumar Samikannu
Thank you for listening