Graphitic carbon from cellulosic materials: development and use

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The synthesis of graphitic nanocarbon hollow tube-like structures utilizing pulp and cellulose nanomaterials as templates is explored in this work. Utilizing an inverting thermal degradation (iTD) method, the combustion kinetics of cellulose nanomaterials are altered through surface modifications. Hydrophobization and salt saturation of cellulose nanomaterials influence their thermal degradation behaviour, specifically ignition nucleating points and propagation rate. This phenomenon brought about by altering cellulose nanomaterials surface chemistry allowed for ignition of the bulk material, leaving behind the surface structure of the nanomaterial. Through this graphitization process, graphitic nanocarbon will be obtained and characterized. Several parameters including fibre aspect ratio, crystallinity, salt occlusion, ignition rate, and local oxygen availability can control the resulting nanostructure. Using this facile process and utilizing cellulose, the world's most abundant natural polymer, as the starting material, the work presented here could have profound implications for the future production of environmentally sustainable graphitic nanocarbon. Our overarching goal is to establish the fundamentals for obtaining nanocarbons from natural resources, produce nanocarbons derived from natural resources on industrial scale, replace conventional nanocarbon structures and incorporate naturally synthesized nanocarbons into commercial products.