An innovative route for the synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is presented herein, which relies on the use of the fluidized bed technology and commercial ?-alumina as a catalyst, for the first time. Specifically, sugar beet pulp, which is the solid by-product of sugar beet industry, has been successfully tested for the synthesis of self-functionalized carbon nanoparticles under mild conditions of temperature (300 °C) and time (30 min). Different techniques including TEM, UV-vis, fluorescence, Raman and XPS spectroscopy have been applied to characterize the as-prepared CQDs. The formation of CQDs on ?-alumina is discussed and a possible mechanism is proposed. A solid biofuel is also obtained as a co-product of the process. The innovative finding that a catalyst can be used to produce CQDs from the volatiles driven off the biomass by heating opens up new possibilities of valorisation for the off-gas substream coming from other biomass conversion processes (e.g., torrefaction).
Synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) through the fluidized bed thermal treatment of residual biomass assisted by ?-alumina
Paola Brachi
2020
Abstract
An innovative route for the synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is presented herein, which relies on the use of the fluidized bed technology and commercial ?-alumina as a catalyst, for the first time. Specifically, sugar beet pulp, which is the solid by-product of sugar beet industry, has been successfully tested for the synthesis of self-functionalized carbon nanoparticles under mild conditions of temperature (300 °C) and time (30 min). Different techniques including TEM, UV-vis, fluorescence, Raman and XPS spectroscopy have been applied to characterize the as-prepared CQDs. The formation of CQDs on ?-alumina is discussed and a possible mechanism is proposed. A solid biofuel is also obtained as a co-product of the process. The innovative finding that a catalyst can be used to produce CQDs from the volatiles driven off the biomass by heating opens up new possibilities of valorisation for the off-gas substream coming from other biomass conversion processes (e.g., torrefaction).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.