Novel nanocarbons via facile one-pot combustion synthesis

Carbon nanomaterials like fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene are of great interest for the current research as well as for industrial applications. Herein a novel and facile protocol for the fast and autothermal formation of different types of nanocarbons including 3 D graphene-like nanosystem via combustion synthesis is presented. Magnesiothermic reduction of carbon-bearing oxidants (both pure chemical reagent and consumer commodities) resulted in their total conversion yielding solid raw products containing mostly nanocrystalline magnesium oxide, porous carbon and layered graphene-related nanomaterial. The combustion reaction was also optically online monitored to follow the reaction course. Purification in mineral acid removed the as-formed MgO and the non-reacted reducer and hence enabled the efficient recovery of the carbon product. The reactants and products were characterized using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Chemical composition was probed by EDS and elemental analysis. The adsorption performance of purified products was also evaluated.