New Research Unveils Direct Synthesis of Graphene using Carbon Dioxide

The chemical compound carbon dioxide knows the general public as a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and because of its climate-warming effect. However, carbon dioxide can also be a useful source of chemical reactions. A working group of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in the journal ChemSusChem reports on such an unusual application. It uses carbon dioxide as a starting material to produce the currently very intensively investigated technology material graphene. 

Carbon Dioxide - A Useful Source of Chemical Reactions

The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil supplies energy for electricity, heat and mobility, but also leads to an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thus to global warming. To cut through this causal chain, scientists are motivated to search for alternative sources of energy, but also alternative uses for carbon dioxide. One possibility could be to see the carbon dioxide as a favorable starting material for the synthesis of recyclables and thus in the economic recovery cycle - possibly even profitable - reintroduce.

An example of this can be found in nature: during photosynthesis in the leaves of plants, biomass is rebuilt from light, water and carbon dioxide and the natural material cycle is closed. In the process, it is the task of the metal-based enzyme RuBisCo to absorb the carbon dioxide from the air and make it usable for further chemical reactions in the plant. Inspired by this metal-based natural transformation, researchers at KIT are now presenting a process in which the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, together with hydrogen, is directly transferred to the technology material graphene with the aid of specially prepared, catalytically active metal surfaces at temperatures of up to 1000 degrees Celsius.

Graphene

Graphene is the two-dimensional shape of the chemical element carbon, which has interesting electrical properties and is therefore suitable for future, novel electronic components. Its discovery and manipulation in 2004 led to worldwide, intensive research and in 2010 brought the discoverers Andre Geim and Konstanin Novoselov the Nobel Prize in Physics. The two took the graphene by hand from a block of graphite using adhesive tape.

Simple One-step Process

A collaboration of several working groups at KIT is now published in the journal ChemSusChema method to separate graphene by means of a metal catalyst of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. "If the metal surface has the right balance of copper and palladium, the conversion of carbon dioxide to graphene will take place directly in a simple one-step process," said study leader Professor Mario Ruben of the Molecular Materials Working Group at the Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry (AOC) of KIT. 

In further experiments, the researchers even succeeded in producing the graphene with several layers of thickness, which could be of interest for possible applications in batteries, electronic components or filter materials. The next research objective of the working group is to shape functioning electronic components from the graphene obtained.

Source: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Porsche’s New Bioconcept-Car Features Natural-fiber Composite Body Parts

Automaker Porsche launches the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport body parts made of natural-fiber composite materials developed in the Application Center for Wood Fiber Research HOFZET, which is part of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI, together with the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites IfBB of Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Features of Porsche’s New Bioconcept-Car

The Bioconcept-Car’s driver and passenger doors and rear wing are made using a mixture of organic fibers. Vegetable fibers as a component in organic composites are a sustainable alternative for lightweight vehicle bodies. 

The years of experience with the ‘Bioconcept-Car’ were integrated in material development for the parts of the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, the first car in series production to feature body parts made of a natural-fiber composite material. The driver and passenger doors as well as the rear wing are made using a mixture of organic fibers. And the Cayman is a real lightweight, weighing in at only 1320 kilograms. A factor here is the 60-percent weight saving resulting from the use of organic composite materials instead of steel in the doors.

The composite material consists of a thermoset polymer matrix system reinforced with organic fibers. An organic fiber mesh is used because the raw materials are readily available, it exhibits high tensile strength, and is particularly fine, homogenous and drapable, easily fitting part shapes. The ease with which it can be produced to precise dimensions facilitate machining and quality assurance, even in combination with other conventionally manufactured components.

Porsche Starts Series Production

Joining forces with Porsche Motorsport, scientists at Fraunhofer WKI first tested organic materials for series readiness under extreme conditions on a Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport using the mobile development laboratory of the German “Four Motors” racing team.

“The third generation of the ‘Bioconcept-Car’ has been on the racetrack since 2015. The tests combine the advantage of extreme stress with a vehicle that is also street-legal after modifications. The partnership with Porsche AG also enables development under the realistic conditions of an automobile manufacturer,” says Ole Hansen, project manager at the Fraunhofer WKI Application Center for Wood Fiber Research HOFZET. “We’ve been able to continuously improve the material properties over the last four years.”

The German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture BMEL recognized the potential benefits of natural fibers from the very beginning and today still accompanies the project as a strategic partner. The BMEL promotes the development of biogenic light-weight components in the funding program “Renewable Resources” with the central coordinating agency for renewable resources, Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. FNR.

Basis for High-Volume Production

Fraunhofer WKI also considered other factors in its investigations, including concepts for end-of-life recycling or reuse and scale-up approaches for parts that are to be produced in greater quantities.

“After extensive testing under extreme conditions on the racetrack, we continued to evaluate our parts, which ultimately led to the conclusion that these ecologically beneficial organic materials fulfill the criteria for volume production,” Ole Hansen adds. Smudo, front-man of the popular German rap group “Fantastische Vier” and permanent pilot of the Four Motors ‘Bioconcept-Car’, has tested its practical viability, as has a special passenger who enjoyed a test drive on the Nürburgring race course last August: German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner.

Rising Popularity of Electric Cars

Registration statistics indicate that new cars are progressively becoming heavier, due to improved safety functions and more electronic equipment. This weight gain also means higher levels of fuel consumption, aspects contrary to the general goal of reducing CO2 emissions. Weight is also an important factor for e-cars, since they require larger and thus heavier batteries in order to maximize range, a decisive sales criterium. 

Accordingly, new developments in lightweight design are an absolute prerequisite for truly efficient e-cars. According to a study by business consultants at McKinsey, the share of lightweight parts in automobiles will have to rise from 30 to 70 percent by 2030 to compensate for the vehicle weight increase resulting from electric drives and motors.

Good Complement to Carbon Fibers

Researchers at Fraunhofer WKI posed the question of whether other fibrous materials could be used to reduce component weight, only using carbon fibers in those places where they represent a structural advantage. They investigated various readily available ecological materials in terms of their technical properties, availability and cost-efficiency, since a feasible solution for industry must have positive technical, ecological and economic impacts. Natural-fiber-reinforced plastics turned out to be the answer. The biogenic component improves the ecological impact of industrial high-performance composite materials during manufacturing, use and disposal.

Economically speaking, the use of renewable raw materials is beneficial because natural flax, hemp, wood and jute fibers are less expensive than carbon fibers and require less energy to manufacture. Thus, the advantages of weight reduction don’t come with a  prohibitive price tag.

Additional advantages in industrial processing and with applications in the vehicle being the naturally grown structure of organic composites gives materials acoustic damping properties and reduces splintering, which is important in the event of a collision.

Source: Fraunhofer

New Cost-effective Way for Graphene Production Using Eucalyptus Trees

Researchers have developed a cost-effective and eco-friendly way of producing graphene using one of Australia’s most abundant resources, eucalyptus trees.

Cheaper and more Sustainable Synthesis Method

Graphene is the thinnest and strongest material known to humans. It’s also flexible, transparent and conducts heat and electricity 10 times better than copper, making it ideal for anything from flexible nanoelectronics to better fuel cells.

The new approach by researchers from RMIT University (Australia) and the National Institute of Technology, Warangal (India), uses Eucalyptus bark extract and is cheaper and more sustainable than current synthesis methods.

Increasing Graphene Availability to Industries Globally

RMIT lead researcher, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava, said the new method could reduce the cost of production from USD 100 per gram to a staggering USD 0.5 per gram.

“Eucalyptus bark extract has never been used to synthesize graphene sheets before and we are thrilled to find that it not only works, it’s in fact a superior method, both in terms of safety and overall cost,” said Bhargava.

“Our approach could bring down the cost of making graphene from around USD 100 per gram to just 50 cents, increasing it availability to industries globally and enabling the development of an array of vital new technologies.” 

Distinctive Features:

Graphene’s distinctive features make it a transformative material that could be used in the development of flexible electronics, more powerful computer chips and better solar panels, water filters and bio-sensors.

Professor Vishnu Shanker from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal, said the ‘green’ chemistry avoids the use of toxic reagents, potentially opening the door to the application of graphene not only for electronic devices but also biocompatible materials.

“Working collaboratively with RMIT’s Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry we’re harnessing the power of collective intelligence to make a lot more useful discoveries,” he said.

A Novel Approach to Graphene Synthesis

Chemical reduction is the most common method for synthesizing graphene oxide as it allows for the production of graphene at a low cost in bulk quantities.

This method however relies on reducing agents that are dangerous to both people and the environment.

Source: RMIT University

Wind and Chemical Industries Join Hands for Wind Turbine Recycling

WindEurope, Cefic (the European Chemical Industry Council) and EUCIA (the European Composites Industry Association) have come together to create a cross-sector platform to advance innovative approaches to the recycling of wind turbine blades. 

Industries Speak

WindEurope CEO, Giles Dickson, said: “Wind energy is an increasingly important part of Europe’s energy mix. The first generation of wind turbines are now starting to come to the end of their operational life and be replaced by modern turbines. Recycling the old blades is a top priority for us and teaming up with the chemical and compositors industries will enable us to do it the most effective way.”

Cefic Director General, Marco Mensink, commented: “The chemical industry plays a decisive role in the transition to a circular economy by investing in the research and development of new materials, which make wind turbine blades more reliable, affordable and recyclable. Innovation is born from collaboration and we look forward to working together to advance wind turbine blade recycling.”

EUCIA President, Roberto Frassine, added: “The wind energy sector has always been at the forefront of using composites as they are instrumental to sustainable energy generation. With this collaboration we hope to set a great industry standard that ultimately will also help customers in other industries like marine and building & infrastructure.”

Learnings from wind turbine recycling will then be transferred to other markets to enhance the overall sustainability of composites.

Recycling Is Crucial

In the next five years 12,000 wind turbines are expected to be decommissioned. Broadening the range of recycling options is critical for the industry’s development. 
In 2018 wind energy supplied 14% of the electricity in the EU with 130,000 wind turbines and this number will only grow in the coming decades. 
Wind turbines blades are made up of a composite material, which boosts the performance of wind energy by allowing lighter and longer blades. Today, 2.5 million tons of composite material are in use in the wind energy sector.

Composite Material- Background Info

Composite materials are being recycled today at commercial scale through cement co-processing, where the cement raw materials are being partially replaced by the glass fibers and fillers in the composite, and the organic fraction replaces coal as a fuel. 

Through that process, the CO2 output of the cement manufacturing process can be significantly reduced (up to 16 % reduction is possible if composites represent 75 % of cement raw materials). Besides recycling through cement co-processing, alternative technologies like mechanical recycling, solvolysis and pyrolysis are being developed, ultimately providing the industry with additional solutions for end-of-life.

Source: WindEurope

XG Sciences to work with Sinochem and Yuyao PGS on graphene-enhanced thermoplastic composites

XG Sciences recently announced that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Sinochem Plastics and Yuyao PGS New Material Technology (an advanced materials development company focusing on the combination of graphene nanoplatelets and thermoplastic composites) to participate in developing advanced composites in China, based on its xGnP graphene nanoplatelets.

The Agreement strengthens the on-going relationship among the parties through creation of the Graphene Applications Development Center (GADC), a joint venture company between Sinochem Plastics and Yuyao PGS New Material Technology in the Sino-Italy Ningbo Ecological Park in Yuyao City. The parties recently partnered to bring new graphene enhanced anti-corrosion coatings to industrial and marine applications.

Under the Agreement, graphene-enhanced thermoplastic composites will be developed by GADC and will exclusively leverage graphene nanoplatelets produced by XG Sciences. The parties target a range of thermoplastic materials and end-use markets including automotive, industrial and consumer items such a clothing. Products resulting from the collaboration will be manufactured and sold in China through Sinochem and PGS.

“We are pleased to be able to partner with Sinochem and PGS to further leverage the performance of our materials in new advanced composite applications”, said Dr. Philip Rose, Chief Executive Officer, XG Sciences. “This activity further supports the value of our product offering on the international stage and allows XGS to strengthen our relationship with both Sinochem and PGS and leverage their market reach for our products in the important China market”, Dr. Rose further added.

“We have been supporting XGS in the China market since 2015”, said Dr. Shi Yan, President, Yuyao PGS New Material Technology Co., Ltd., “and we are excited to now combine our efforts with Sinochem Plastics under the Graphene Applications Development Center umbrella to create a new platform of materials.”

Researchers Develop Nanobio-Hybrid Microbes Capable of Converting CO2 Into Plastics

CU Boulder researchers have developed nanobio-hybrid organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of plastics and fuels, a promising first step toward low-cost carbon sequestration and eco-friendly manufacturing for chemicals. 

“Living Factories” that Eat Harmful CO2

By using light-activated quantum dots to fire particular enzymes within microbial cells, the researchers were able to create “living factories” that eat harmful CO2 and convert it into useful products such as biodegradable plastic, gasoline, ammonia and biodiesel.

“The innovation is a testament to the power of biochemical processes,” said Prashant Nagpal, lead author of the research and an assistant professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “We’re looking at a technique that could improve CO2 capture to combat climate change and one day even potentially replace carbon-intensive manufacturing for plastics and fuels.”

Nanoscopic Quantum Dots

The project began in 2013, when Nagpal and his colleagues began exploring the broad potential of nanoscopic quantum dots, which are tiny semiconductors similar to those used in television sets. Quantum dots can be injected into cells passively and are designed to attach and self-assemble to desired enzymes and then activate these enzymes on command using specific wavelengths of light. 

Nagpal wanted to see if quantum dots could act as a spark plug to fire particular enzymes within microbial cells that have the means to convert airborne CO2 and nitrogen, but do not do so naturally due to a lack of photosynthesis.

Activate the Microbes’ CO2 Appetite

By diffusing the specially-tailored dots into the cells of common microbial species found in soil, Nagpal and his colleagues bridged the gap. Now, exposure to even small amounts of indirect sunlight would activate the microbes’ CO2 appetite, without a need for any source of energy or food to carry out the energy-intensive biochemical conversions.

“Each cell is making millions of these chemicals and we showed they could exceed their natural yield by close to 200%,” Nagpal said.

The microbes, which lie dormant in water, release their resulting product to the surface, where it can be skimmed off and harvested for manufacturing. Different combinations of dots and light produce different products: Green wavelengths cause the bacteria to consume nitrogen and produce ammonia while redder wavelengths make the microbes feast on CO2 to produce plastic instead.

The process also shows promising signs of being able to operate at scale. The study found that even when the microbial factories were activated consistently for hours at a time, they showed few signs of exhaustion or depletion, indicating that the cells can regenerate and thus limit the need for rotation.

“We were very surprised that it worked as elegantly as it did,” Nagpal said. “We’re just getting started with the synthetic applications.”

Replace Carbon-Intensive Manufacturing for Plastics

The ideal futuristic scenario, Nagpal said, would be to have single-family homes and businesses pipe their CO2 emissions directly to a nearby holding pond, where microbes would convert them to a bioplastic. The owners would be able to sell the resulting product for a small profit while essentially offsetting their own carbon footprint.

“Even if the margins are low and it can’t compete with petrochemicals on a pure cost basis, there is still societal benefit to doing this,” Nagpal said. “If we could convert even a small fraction of local ditch ponds, it would have a sizeable impact on the carbon output of towns. It wouldn’t be asking much for people to implement. Many already make beer at home, for example, and this is no more complicated.”

The focus now, he said, will shift to optimizing the conversion process and bringing on new undergraduate students. Nagpal is looking to convert the project into an undergraduate lab experiment in the fall semester, funded by a CU Boulder Engineering Excellence Fund grant. Nagpal credits his current students with sticking with the project over the course of many years.

“It has been a long journey and their work has been invaluable,” he said. “I think these results show that it was worth it.”

Source: University of Colorado

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