Exploring Soft Magnetism in Amorphous Carbon Synthesized from Biomass

Abstract

Some studies of the usage of biomass to produce carbon-based compounds have been reported in the past. Here we report that palmyra sugar can be one of the sources to produce amorphous carbon (a-C) from biomass after the heating treatment at 250°C. In this paper, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) measurements are reported in order to check the detailed properties of a-C from palmyra sugar. The XRD data at a diffraction peak position (2θ) of ~23o support the formation of a-C. The functional groups detected by FTIR spectra consist of C=C, C-C, C-O, C=O, C-H and O-H. The remnant magnetization (Mr), coercive field (Hc) and saturation magnetization are estimated as ~0.1 10-3 emu/g, ~50 Oe and ~9 10-3 emu/g, respectively. Soft ferromagnetism in a-C from palmyra sugar is confirmed, comparable with the magnetization result in the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sample from coconut shell and rGO commercial material which have the same mixture hybridization. Some studies of the usage of biomass to produce carbon-based compounds have been reported in the past. Here we report that palmyra sugar can be one of the sources to produce amorphous carbon (a-C) from biomass after the heating treatment at 250°C. In this paper, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) measurements are reported in order to check the detailed properties of a-C from palmyra sugar. The XRD data at a diffraction peak position (2θ) of ~23o support the formation of a-C. The functional groups detected by FTIR spectra consist of C=C, C-C, C-O, C=O, C-H and O-H. The remnant magnetization (Mr), coercive field (Hc) and saturation magnetization are estimated as ~0.1 10-3 emu/g, ~50 Oe and ~9 10-3 emu/g, respectively. Soft ferromagnetism in a-C from palmyra sugar is confirmed, comparable with the magnetization result in the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sample from coconut shell and rGO commercial material which have the same mixture hybridization.