Controlled Growth of Unusual Nanocarbon Allotropes by Molten Electrolysis of CO2

This study describes a world of new carbon “fullerene” allotropes that may be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis using greenhouse CO2 as the reactant. Beyond conventional diamond, graphite and buckyballs, vast array unique nanocarbon structures exist. Until recently, was thought to unreactive. Here, we show can transformed into distinct nano-bamboo, nano-pearl, nano-dragon, solid hollow nano-onion, nano-tree, nano-rod, nano-belt nano-flower morphologies carbon. The capability produce these at high purity straightforward electrolysis, analogous aluminum production splitting oxide, but instead CO2, opens an inexpensive materials with exciting strength, electrical thermal conductivity, flexibility, charge storage, lubricant robustness properties. Commercial technology nanocarbons had been chemical vapor deposition, which is ten-fold more expensive, generally requires metallo-organics reactants has highly carbon-positive rather than carbon-negative footprint. Different were prepared electrochemically variation anode cathode composition architecture, electrolyte composition, pre-electrolysis processing current ramping density. Individual allotrope initial growth mechanisms are explored SEM, TEM, HAADF EDX, XRD Raman spectroscopy.