Abstract
Petroleum tar (PT), a by-product of heavy oil refining, poses significant environmental challenges due to its high production volume and associated pollution risks. This study presents an innovative approach for the catalytic conversion of PT into multilayer graphene oxide using nickel foam (NiF) as a catalyst at reaction temperatures of 500 °C and 700 °C (GT/Ni500 and GT/Ni700). The process effectively decomposes PT and facilitates the structured rearrangement of carbon atoms into graphene layers. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including SEM-EDS, HRTEM, BET, XRD, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy, confirm the formation of high-quality graphene oxide. The synthesized GT/Ni700 material exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 3.34F/g. GT/Ni500 shows adsorption capacities of 59.86 mg/g for Pb2+ and 56.84 mg/g for Cu2+. Life Cycle Assessment reveals a substantial reduction in the carbon footprint, with CO2 equivalents for GT/Ni500 and GT/Ni700significantly lower than traditional methods, at 17.64 kg/CO2eq and 14.03 kg/CO2eq, respectively, representing a reduction of over 50 %. This study not only offers a sustainable pathway for PT utilization but also provides advanced materials with dual utility in electrochemical applications and heavy metal adsorption, contributing to environmental remediation and reducing reliance on non-renewable resources.
Published Version
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