Activated Carbon from Palm Date Seeds for CO2 Capture

The process of carbon dioxide capture and storage is seen as a critical strategy to mitigate the so-called greenhouse effect and the planetary climate changes associated with it. In this study, we investigated the CO2 adsorption capacity of various microporous carbon materials originating from palm date seeds (PDS) using green chemistry synthesis. The PDS was used as a precursor for the hydrochar and activated carbon (AC). Typically, by using the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process, we obtained a powder that was then subjected to an activation step using KOH, H3PO4 or CO2, thereby producing the activated HTC-PDS samples. Beyond their morphological and textural characteristics, we investigated the chemical composition and lattice ordering. Most PDS-derived powders have a high surface area (>1000 m2 g−1) and large micropore volume (>0.5 cm3 g−1). However, the defining characteristic for the maximal CO2 uptake (5.44 mmol g−1, by one of the alkaline activated samples) was the lattice restructuring that occurred. This work highlights the need to conduct structural and elemental analysis of carbon powders used as gas adsorbents and activated with chemicals that can produce graphite intercalation compounds.

Highly Enhancing Electrical, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/Graphite Intercalation Compound Composites by In Situ Expansion during Melt Mixing

Polypropylene/graphite intercalation compound (PP/GIC) composites are prepared via melt mixing at three different temperatures (180, 200, and 220 °C). The dispersion of GICs in the composites is clearly improved due to the increased interlamellar spacing caused by in situ expansion of GICs at higher temperatures, which facilitates the intercalation of PP molecular chains into the GIC galleries. As a result, the PP/GIC composite with 10 wt% GICs prepared at 220 °C (PG220) presents a dielectric constant of about 1.3 × 108 at 103 Hz, which is about six orders higher than that of the composite prepared at 180 °C (PG180). Moreover, the thermal conductivity of the PG220 sample (0.63 Wm−1K−1) is 61.5% higher than that of the PG180 sample. The well-dispersed GICs accelerates the crystallization of PP by increasing the nucleation point and enhances the thermal stability of the composites. The PG220 sample shows a Young’s modulus that is about 21.2% higher than that of the PG180 samples. The results provide an efficient approach for fabricating polymer/GIC composites without complex exfoliation and dispersion processes.