Finger-Like Carbon-Based Nanostructures Produced by Combustion of Flour-Based Sticks (Spaghetti)

C

CrispinJ. D. Hetherington¹  Frederik Ossler² 

[1] Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. BOX 124, SE 221 00 Lund, Sweden;Combustion Physics, Lund University, P.O. BOX 118, SE 221 00 Lund, Sweden;

关键词: finger-like;    tubular;    nanostructure;    biomass;    spaghetti;    flame;    microscopy;    carbon;   

DOI  :  10.3390/c5020021

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Biomass is becoming particularly important as a starting material for advanced carbon structures. In this study, we found interesting nanostructures on the surface of burnt spaghetti using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for analysis. The structures were elongated and finger-like, with evidence that the tubes have shell and core components. The shell was carbon that included amorphous and layered graphene structures. EDX showed enriched potassium and phosphorous in the core and at the tip of the tubes. The results indicate that tube formation depends on phase separation of polar/ionic and nonpolar moieties when water is produced in the biomass from the pyrolysis/combustion. The tube growth is most probably due to the raising pressure of vapor that cannot escape through the carbon film that is formed at the surface of the stick from flame heat. This process resembles glass blowing or volcanic activity, where the carbon acts as the glass or earth’s crust, respectively. These observations suggest that new interesting tubular nanostructures with different properties on the inside and outside can be produced in a relatively simple way, utilizing processes of combustion of starch-rich biomass materials.

【 授权许可】

Unknown