Innovative Biochar-Based Composite Fibres from Recycled Material.

Sandra Lepak-Kuc,Malgorzata Jakubowska,Mattia Bartoli,Krystian Pavlov,Mateusz Kiciński,Przemyslaw P Michalski,Mauro Giorcelli

doi:10.3390/ma14185304

Abstract

Carbon materials are becoming crucial in several industrial sectors. The drawbacks of these materials include their high cost and oil-based essence. In recent years, recycled materials have become possible alternative sources of carbon with several advantages. Firstly, the production of this alternative source of carbon may help to reduce biomass disposal, and secondly, it contributes to CO2 sequestration. The use of carbon derived from recycled materials by a pyrolysis treatment is called biochar. Here, we present composite materials based on different biochar filler contents dispersed in several thermoplastic polymer matrixes. Electrical conductivity and tensile break strength were investigated together with the material characterisation by DTA/TGA, XRD, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. Materials with good flexibility and electrical conductivity were obtained. The local ordering in composites resembles both biochar and polymer ordering. The similarity between biochar and carbon nanotubes’ (CNTs) XRD patterns may be observed. As biochar is highly cost-effective, the proposed composites could become a valid substitute for CNT composites in various applications.

Highlights

Increasing developments in industry and science over the last few decades have resulted in high demand for new materials for various applications
The different contents of the functional phase were taken into consideration, paying particular attention to obtaining the highest possible electrical conductivity while ensuring practicable elasticity for potential applications
Examination showed that there was a strict correlation between biochar content in the composite and its electrical conductivity, which rose in line with higher biochar content

Summary

Introduction

Increasing developments in industry and science over the last few decades have resulted in high demand for new materials for various applications. The high price of the limited number of commonly used materials and the miniaturization of new technological devices have played a significant role in the direction of the research for new materials [1,2] These needs have opened up a broad path of development and intensified research for carbon nanomaterials. The best-known nanocarbons include graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon black, and fullerenes, useful for their unique characteristics and very often considered the solution to many problems [3,4,5,6,7] As well as these carbon nanomaterials, a considerable number of new ones are constantly being discovered or synthesized. The following varieties of nanocarbon are frequently used: (i) carbon nanodots, offering various applications such as electronics and optoelectronics, which should be noted [8]; (ii) mesoporous carbon nanomaterials, with applications in biomedical engineering such as drug delivery [9] or chemical adsorbents [10]; and (iii) the group of lignin-based, starch-based, and bark-based carbon nanomaterials, classified as so-called graphene nanoplatelets, with proven high adsorption properties [11]

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Results

Conclusion