Low-cost solution could supercharge the energy transition
A research collaboration between James Cook University and Flinders University has successfully used cheap agricultural byproduct, nanocellulose, to make graphene, a high-value super-material useful in batteries, electronics and space industry materials.
JCU Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Elsa Antunes, has published new research in the international journal Small Structures, showing high quality graphene can be reliably produced from renewable materials using only water, rather than harsh chemicals.
“Graphene is a really amazing material, it’s super strong with incredible electric and thermal properties,” Prof Antunes said.
“We are taking what is currently thought of as waste and converting into this very high value product.”
Prof Antunes’ team took cellulose derived from woody biomass, converted it to biochar, then used a newly patented vortex fluidic device (VFD) to produce high quality graphene, explained the paper’s first author and JCU PhD candidate Yu Matsueda.
“The VFD rotates at very high speed, allowing us to really control the way fluids move inside the device … thus we can control the layers of graphene formed from the initial biochar,” he said
“In our research we used water as a solvent, which is more sustainable than current methods.”
The researchers tested their graphene for its specific surface area, defects and layer thickness, and were able to optimise their production process, resulting in reduced defects and higher surface areas.
“The graphene we produced was, in fact, very similar to what other people are obtaining from non-renewable resources,” Mr Matsueda said
This was the first study to investigate the production of biomass to biochar-derived graphene under mild pyrolysis conditions, without the use of harsh chemicals or catalysts.
“Currently graphene is mainly produced from mined graphite, and the best graphite comes from Sri Lanka … it’s a limited resource,” said Prof Antunes.
“If we are able to produce graphene from a renewable resource, like sugarcane fibre, it can be an example for other industries trying to create a circular economy.”
“We have to think outside of the box and manufacture more high-quality products here in Australia, especially products that can be used to safeguard our future, like batteries.”