Chapter 6
Applications of Carbon Nanostructures
Produced in Molten Salts
Abstract The cathodic exfoliation of graphite in molten salts can be considered as
a low-cost and efficient method for the scalable production of carbon nanostructures
with various applications including anode materials for Li ion batteries, supercapacitors, ceramic-based composites and adsorbents for removal of organic pollutants.
Various nanostructured carbon materials, such as molten salt-produced graphene
nanosheets decorated with SnO 2 nanocrystals, Sn-filled carbon nanostructures and
graphene-wrapped Si nanoparticles can be fabricated for the application as active
materials for lithium-ion batteries. As another application, interconnected graphene
nanostructures comprising of nanosheets and nanoscrolls were found to exhibit an
excellent performance in electrochemical supercapacitor studies. Moreover, slip cast
alumina ceramics containing a low amount of molten salt graphene demonstrated
higher values of mechanical properties in comparison with that of bare alumina. As
another example, 3D graphene nanosheets produced in molten salts exhibit a high
dye adsorption performance in a wide range of the solution pH from 2 to 11. The
current chapter reviews these applications.
Keywords Molten salts · Graphene · Supercapacitors · Li-ion batteries · Anode ·
Ceramic composites · Water purification
6.1 SnO 2 -Graphene Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries
As discussed in the last chapters, graphene can be efficiently produced in molten
LiCl. The production rate was estimated to be more than 400 g graphene in one liter
of the molten LiCl used per day. A volume of only 10 L molten LiCl can, therefore,
produce more than 4 kg graphene in one day. The graphene produced exhibited
an ultrahigh conductivity with a value of 5.8 × 10
5 S m
−1 , a high surface area of
up to 500 m
2 g
−1 and a thermal stability of up to 550 °C, as well as a high carbon
purity of more than 98% [1–3]. These properties are attractive for many applications,
including anode materials for lithium-ion batteries [3, 4], (b) supercapacitors [5],
structural composites [6] and water purification. Molten salt graphene nanosheets
decorated with SnO 2 nanocrystals as anode active materials for Li-ion batteries are
first discussed.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
A. R. Kamali, Green Production of Carbon Nanomaterials in Molten Salts
and Applications, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2373-1_6
75
Applications of Carbon Nanostructures
Produced in Molten Salts
Abstract The cathodic exfoliation of graphite in molten salts can be considered as
a low-cost and efficient method for the scalable production of carbon nanostructures
with various applications including anode materials for Li ion batteries, supercapacitors, ceramic-based composites and adsorbents for removal of organic pollutants.
Various nanostructured carbon materials, such as molten salt-produced graphene
nanosheets decorated with SnO 2 nanocrystals, Sn-filled carbon nanostructures and
graphene-wrapped Si nanoparticles can be fabricated for the application as active
materials for lithium-ion batteries. As another application, interconnected graphene
nanostructures comprising of nanosheets and nanoscrolls were found to exhibit an
excellent performance in electrochemical supercapacitor studies. Moreover, slip cast
alumina ceramics containing a low amount of molten salt graphene demonstrated
higher values of mechanical properties in comparison with that of bare alumina. As
another example, 3D graphene nanosheets produced in molten salts exhibit a high
dye adsorption performance in a wide range of the solution pH from 2 to 11. The
current chapter reviews these applications.
Keywords Molten salts · Graphene · Supercapacitors · Li-ion batteries · Anode ·
Ceramic composites · Water purification
6.1 SnO 2 -Graphene Anode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries
As discussed in the last chapters, graphene can be efficiently produced in molten
LiCl. The production rate was estimated to be more than 400 g graphene in one liter
of the molten LiCl used per day. A volume of only 10 L molten LiCl can, therefore,
produce more than 4 kg graphene in one day. The graphene produced exhibited
an ultrahigh conductivity with a value of 5.8 × 10
5 S m
−1 , a high surface area of
up to 500 m
2 g
−1 and a thermal stability of up to 550 °C, as well as a high carbon
purity of more than 98% [1–3]. These properties are attractive for many applications,
including anode materials for lithium-ion batteries [3, 4], (b) supercapacitors [5],
structural composites [6] and water purification. Molten salt graphene nanosheets
decorated with SnO 2 nanocrystals as anode active materials for Li-ion batteries are
first discussed.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
A. R. Kamali, Green Production of Carbon Nanomaterials in Molten Salts
and Applications, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2373-1_6
75