Search

Due to the ever-increasing plastic waste causing serious environmental problems, it is highly desirable to recycle it into high-value-added products, such as carbon nanomaterials. However, the traditional catalytic carbonization of hydrocarbon polymers is severely prohibited by the complexity of real-world plastic waste due to the existence of halogen-containing polymers. In this study, through a universal combined template based on magnesium oxide and iron(III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)3), a three-dimensional hollow carbon sphere/porous carbon flake hybrid nanostructure is prepared from carbonization of plastic waste with high yields (>70 wt%). This approach is not only suitable for hydrocarbon polymers, but also for halogen-containing polymers. Interestingly, the obtained advanced carbon framework exhibits excellent performance in lithium-ion batteries (802 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1). The present research paves a new avenue to upcycle plastic waste into a high value-added product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A one-pot approach to prepare Cu–Ni/C heterogeneous composites by carbonization of polypropylene (PP) using combined catalysts of Ni2O3 and CuCl was proposed. TEM, SEM, TGA and Raman measurements were performed to investigate the effects of Cl/Ni molar ratios on the yield and morphology of the resultant carbon materials. The yield of carbon materials in Cu–Ni/C first increased and then decreased as the Cl/Ni molar ratio increased, and the maximum yield was achieved at Cl/Ni molar ratio of 0.125. Longer and thinner carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were obtained at low Cl/Ni ratios while shorter carbon fibers were formed at high Cl/Ni ratios. The effect of Cl/Ni molar ratio on the active sites for the growth of carbon materials and degraded products of PP were investigated by XRD, GC and GC–MS. Interestingly, the resultant Cu–Ni/C showed the catalysis to “Click” reaction. As a result, the initial catalytic substances (Ni2O3 and CuCl) could be effectively used twice as catalysts in the carbonization of PP and in the later application of the resultant Cu–Ni/C composites. More importantly, this approach is a new potential method to transform waste polymer materials into valuable metal/carbon heterogeneous composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]