Activation of peat soil carbon and production of carbon nanostructures using a flying jet cold plasma torch

• Published in: Environmental chemistry letters Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 1383 - 1390
• Main Authors: Abdul-Majeed, Wameath S., Al-Riyami, Khamis O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activation; Analytical Chemistry; Analytical methods; Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Carbonyl compounds; Carbonyls; Chemical composition; Cold plasmas; Deep layer; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electron microscopy; Energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Flight; Geochemistry; Granular materials; Heating; Industrial applications; Liquids; Microscopy; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Organic chemistry; Original Paper; Peat; Peat soils; Plasma; Polarity; Pollution; Soil; Temperature; Thermal plasmas; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray spectroscopy; Brunauer–Emmett–Teller; Granulated activated carbon; Carbon nanostructures; Transition electron microscopy; Scan electron microscopy; Flying jet plasma
• ISSN: 1610-3653; 1610-3661
• DOI: 10.1007/s10311-019-00869-x

Non-thermal plasma, also named cold plasma, finds applications in industrial, environmental and health sectors. Non-thermal plasma is a remarkable catalysing and dissociating agent because the gas occurs at room temperature with energies ranging from 1 to 10 electron volts. Here, we studied the activation of carbon granules from peat soil by a flying jet plasma torch. Samples of peat soil were collected from 50- to 70-cm-deep layer and dried for two nights at 70 °C, then carbonized for 4 h at 800 °C and sieved at 2 mm. The carbon particles were then treated by the jet plasma torch. Surface morphology of the raw and treated granules was monitored by a scan electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and transition electron microscopy (TEM). Results show considerable changes in the surface morphology and chemical composition. Oxygen mass percentage increased, suggesting an increase of carbonyl C=O groups and thus higher polarity and solubility in polar liquids. BET data show an increase in the active surface area from 1069 to 1270 m 2 /g. TEM images display carbon nanostructures resembling carbon nanotubes. Overall, our findings reveal a cost-effective technique, operated at room temperature, to produce carbon nanoparticles, compared with traditional heating activation processes.