Carbon-based materials; Current intensity and methane concentration; GNFs and CNPs; Low-current gliding arc discharge; Methane pyrolysis; Carbon based materials; Carbon nanoparticles; Current intensity; Gliding arc; Graphene nanoflake; Graphene nanoflake and carbon nanoparticle; Low currents; Methane concentrations; Chemistry (all); Condensed Matter Physics; Surfaces and Interfaces; Surfaces, Coatings and Films; Materials Chemistry
Abstract :
[en] In this study, a low-current (25–75 mA) gliding arc discharge (GAD) system was utilized for the synthesis of carbon-based materials. We investigated the effects of discharge current (I) and methane concentration (ΦCH4) on the discharge features and the carbon materials properties. We observed a strong influence of the discharge current on the discharge behavior. For the lowest I value (I = 25 mA), the plasma is confined and emits blue light. In this condition, no carbon formation is observed (whatever ΦCH4 is), revealing a too low associated discharge power (PD) to allow for a significant dissociation of CH4. When increasing I, the plasma features are strongly affected with the appearance of a yellow flame, associated with the production of incipient soot, expanding as a function of I. In these conditions, carbon is always generated. We observed that a high enough discharge current (I = 75 mA) is necessary to allow for a stable plasma in the entire ΦCH4 range. Characterization of carbon products reveals the formation of two distinct types of carbon nanomaterials: graphene nanoflakes (GNFs), including single-layer, bilayer, and multilayer structures, predominantly synthesized at ΦCH4 = 10 %, and carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), primarily generated at higher ΦCH4. For multilayer GNFs, two morphologies—“flat platelet” and “wrinkled layer”—were identified through Annular Dark-Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (ADF-STEM) images. For CNPs, a comparative thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) study with commercial carbon blacks (CBs) reveals that the thermal stability and purity of CNPs improves with increasing PD, shifting their properties closer to those of CBs.
Disciplines :
Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Tian, Yuan ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface ; Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Abdirakhmanov, Assan ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface
Wang, Xiaoyu; Department of Circular Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
Mathieu, Pierre ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface
Flores-Larrea, Luis; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
Lagos, Maureen J.; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
De Geyter, Nathalie; Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Bittencourt, Carla ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface
Snyders, Rony ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface ; Materia Nova Research Center, Mons, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Synthesis of carbon-based materials by methane pyrolysis in a low-current gliding arc discharge
Research Institute for Materials Science and Engineering
Funding text :
This research is supported by the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (PLASyntH2, FNRS grant O.0023.22, EOS ID: 40007511). The GAD reactor's development was supported by the F.R.S.-FNRS Research Fellowship granted to P. Mathieu (ID 40023663 \u2013 \u2018PyroPlasma\u2019) and achieved by L. Mathieu. MJL acknowledges the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) under a Discovery Grant, the support for infrastructure from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) under the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) program and the Ontario Research Fund: Research Infrastructure (ORF-RI) program. We also thank the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy for providing access to electron microscopy facilities.This research is supported by the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (PLASyntH2, FNRS grant O.0023.22 , EOS I: 40007511). The GAD reactor's development was supported by the F.R.S.-FNRS Research Fellowship granted to P. Mathieu (I 40023663 \u2013 \u2018PyroPlasma\u2019) and achieved by L. Mathieu.
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