Katalyserad grafitproduktion från plastavfall
- Diarienummer
- SNP21-0003
- Projektledare
- Gratrex, Alice
- Start- och slutdatum
- 240101-271231
- Beviljat belopp
- 2 857 142 kr
- Förvaltande organisation
- Lund University
- Forskningsområde
- Materialvetenskap och materialteknologier
Summary
Current synthetic graphite production is neither environmentally friendly nor economically attractive. I will address both of these challenges by studying the catalysed pyrolysis of plastic waste from the fashion industry. The addition of transition metals to the pyrolysis of organic matter halves the required temperature for graphite production, although the mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Additionally, it is not yet understood why, absent a catalyst, some organic matter never forms crystalline graphite even at 3000 °C. I will therefore study the pyrolysis of polymers both with and without a catalyst to clarify how and how not to make graphite. These materials span from amorphous to crystalline, and the techniques used will be just as varied, from pair distribution functions to inelastic neutron scattering. Moreover, I will develop a sample environment to study the pyrolysis process in situ. Finally, I will construct a diverse set of structural models using maze-generating algorithms. Combined with Reverse Monte Carlo modelling and Molecular Dynamics simulations, this novel approach will replicate the emergent phenomena that characterises the fascinating intersection between amorphous and crystalline.
Populärvetenskaplig beskrivning
Graphite, a form of carbon familiar from its use as pencil leads, is an important material to many different industries. In particular, graphite is an important part of the batteries that power mobile phones, laptops, and other modern technology we take for granted. At the moment, most graphite is mined in China, because that is cheaper and requires less energy than making it from scratch. We know that it is possible to make graphite from things like waste plastic by adding a small amount of metal like iron to the mixture, and this could be a cheaper and more sustainable option than opening new mines. At the moment, however, we do not really understand what it is about iron that make graphite production easier, and nor is it understood why some materials are more difficult to make graphite with than others. By producing graphite and not-graphite from different plastics under different conditions, and studying the structure and behaviour of the materials, I aim to explain how graphite forms. This will require trying to look at the material as it is produced, as well as new ways of visualising the structure. If successful, we can make graphite cheaply and sustainably, making a green future that much closer.