Optimization of the Synthesis of Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanomaterials by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Mustafa Mohammed Aljumaily,N Awanis Hashim,Rasel Das,Sharifah Bee Abd Hamid,Mohd Ali Hashim,Mikhail Novikov,Qusay F Alsalhy,Mohamed Khalid Alomar,Mohammed Abdulhakim Alsaadi,Haiyam Mohammed Alayan

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-21051-3

Mustafa Mohammed Aljumaily, N Awanis Hashim + Show 8 more

Open Access

PDF Available

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21051-3

Copy DOI

Export

Save

Cite

Abstract
Highlights/Summary
Full-Text PDF
Similar Papers

Abstract

Listen

Demand is increasing for superhydrophobic materials in many applications, such as membrane distillation, separation and special coating technologies. In this study, we report a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to fabricate superhydrophobic carbon nanomaterials (CNM) on nickel (Ni)-doped powder activated carbon (PAC). The reaction temperature, reaction time and H2/C2H2 gas ratio were optimized to achieve the optimum contact angle (CA) and carbon yield (CY). For the highest CY (380%) and CA (177°), the optimal reaction temperatures were 702 °C and 687 °C, respectively. However, both the reaction time (40 min) and gas ratio (1.0) were found to have similar effects on CY and CA. Based on the Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images, the CNM could be categorized into two main groups: a) carbon spheres (CS) free carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and b) CS mixed with CNFs, which were formed at 650 and 750 °C, respectively. Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis also support this finding. The hydrophobicity of the CNM, expressed by the CA, follows the trend of CS-mixed CNFs (CA: 177°) > CS-free CNFs (CA: 167°) > PAC/Ni (CA: 65°). This paves the way for future applications of synthesized CNM to fabricate water-repellent industrial-grade technologies.

Highlights

Superhydrophobic carbon-based nanomaterials (CNM) with contact angles (CA) > 150° have attracted tremendous scientific and commercial interests due to their various applications, including antifouling and self-healing membranes[1], adsorbants[2], anti-wetting X-ray sample holders[3], ultrasensitive protein spectroscopy substrates, microarray devices[4], drug delivery materials[5], and others[6,7]
An extremely small amount of Ni was found to be sufficient to facilitate the formation of catalytic sites and to yield carbon sphere (CS)-free carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and CS-mixed CNFs depending on the reaction temperature
response surface method (RSM) showed the interactions of different parameters in the process of CNM growth on powder activated carbon (PAC) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

Summary

Introduction

Superhydrophobic carbon-based nanomaterials (CNM) with contact angles (CA) > 150° have attracted tremendous scientific and commercial interests due to their various applications, including antifouling and self-healing membranes[1], adsorbants[2], anti-wetting X-ray sample holders[3], ultrasensitive protein spectroscopy substrates, microarray devices[4], drug delivery materials[5], and others[6,7] Both the surface roughness and surface chemistry can affect the hydrophobicity of the materials[8]. The hybrid PAC-CNF shows the combined properties of a classical PAC and CNFs while maintaining the chemical compatibility between these two materials These studies have not considered the synthesis of different CNM, and the lack of optimization for increasing the carbon yield (CY) and CA have left scientists ignorant about the process. I.e., CS nested in CNFs incorporated in PAC, is promising for applications in sorption[2,27], membrane distillation[28,29], organic mixture separation, water adsorptive purification, and catalysis[30]

Methods

Results

Conclusion