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. 2025 May 30;30(11):2408.
doi: 10.3390/molecules30112408.

Tailored Carbon Nanocomposites for Efficient CO2 Capture

Diana Kichukova  1 , Tsvetomila Lazarova  1 , Genoveva Atanasova  1 , Daniela Kovacheva  1 , Ivanka Spassova  1
Affiliations

Tailored Carbon Nanocomposites for Efficient CO2 Capture

Diana Kichukova et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

CO2 capture by adsorption on proper solid materials appears to be a promising approach, due to its low energy requirements and ease of implementation. This study aimed to prepare efficient materials for CO2 capture based on composites of nanocarbon and reduced graphene oxide, using graphite, L-ascorbic acid, and glycine as precursors. The materials were characterized by XRD, low-temperature N2 adsorption, FTIR, Raman, and XPS spectroscopies, along with SEM and TEM. The CO2 adsorption capacities, heats of adsorption, and selectivity were determined. A hierarchical porous structure was found for NC-LAA, NC/RGO-LAA, and NC/RGO-Gly. At 273 K and 100 kPa, the adsorption capacities for NC-LAA and NC-Gly reached 2.6 mmol/g and 2.5 mmol/g, respectively, while for the composites, the capacities were 1.7 mmol/g for NC/RGO-Gly and 3.5 mmol/g for NC/RGO-LAA. The adsorption ability of the glycine-derived materials is related to the presence of nitrogen-containing functional groups. The heats of adsorption for NC-LAA, NC-Gly, and NC/RGO-Gly reveal chemisorption with CO2. Except for chemisorption, the NC/RGO-LAA material shows a sustained physical adsorption up to higher CO2 coverage. The best adsorption of CO2, observed for NC/RGO-LAA, is connected with the synergy between carbon dots and RGO. This composition ensures both sufficient oxygen surface functionalization and a proper hierarchical porous structure.

Keywords: CO2 adsorption; carbon dots; nanocarbon; nanocomposite; reduced graphene oxide.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PXRD patterns of NC-LAA, NC-Gly, NC/RGO-LAA, NC/RGO-Gly, and referent RGO.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms (a,c) and pore size distribution (b,d) of NC-LAA (red), NC-Gly (blue), NC/RGO-LAA (magenta), and NC/RGO-Gly (olive). The insets in (b,d) present the micropore size distribution of the respective samples. The shaded part of the insets represents the pores below 0.8 nm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
SEM (SEI) images of NC-LAA (a), NC/RGO-LAA (b), NC-Gly (c), NC/RGO-Gly (d) and RGO (e).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Bright-field TEM micrographs of NC-LAA (a), NC/RGO-LAA (b), NC-Gly (c), NC/RGO-Gly (d), and RGO (e), and HRTEM image of NC/RGO-LAA (f).
Figure 5
Figure 5
FTIR (A) and Raman spectra (B) of (a) NC-Gly (blue), (b) NC-LAA (red), (c) NC/RGO-Gly (olive), (d) NC/RGO-LAA (magenta), and (e) bare RGO (dark yellow).
Figure 6
Figure 6
XPS C1s, O1s, and survey spectra of NC-LAA, NC/RGO-LAA, NC-Gly, and NC/RGO-Gly, and N1s spectra of NC-Gly and NC/RGO-Gly.
Figure 7
Figure 7
XPS C1s, O1s, and survey spectra of NC/RGO-LAA, NC/RGO-Gly, and RGO, and N1s of NC/RGO-Gly.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Adsorption isotherms of CO2 at 273 K for NC-LAA (left, red), NC-Gly (left, blue), NC/RGO-LAA (right, magenta), NC/RGO-Gly (right, olive), and bare RGO (right, dark yellow).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Heats of CO2 adsorption for NC-LAA (red), NC-Gly (blue), NC/RGO-LAA (magenta), and NC/RGO-Gly (olive).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Predictive CO2/N2 selectivity of NC/RGO-LAA at 273 K, depending on pressure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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