Conversion of Domestic US Coal into Exceedingly High-Quality Graphene
Year: 2022
Type: report
Abstract: The Recipient will study how flash Joule heating (FJH) from anthracite coal can afford high value graphene in gram scales in less than 1 second per conversion step. The graphene is termed flash graphene (FG). The process uses no furnace and no solvent or reactive gases, and the yields from anthracite coal are 85-95% with a purity >99%. The scaled electrical energy cost is projected at $100 per metric ton. FG can be among the lowest defect graphene ever reported (2D/G = 17:1) and turbostratic by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, meaning that is has little order between the graphene layers, thereby facilitating its dispersion in composites. FG might provide the long-sought method to make graphene in bulk with industrially acceptable economics: inexpensive coal, furnace-free, solvent-free and chemical-free processing, and low-energy input to render it suitable for bulk plastic, metal and even concrete composites.
DOI: 10.2172/1842469
Author: James Tour
Institution: Rice University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: U.S. Department of Energy
OpenAlex ID: W4286443690