Transforming petroleum coke into greener and sustainable carbon nanomaterials: Synthesis, structure and applications

Abstract

The exceptional capabilities of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have led to a notable surge in research on various dimensionalities i.e. (0D, 1D, 2D), which hold promise for use in a range of scientific and technological domains. Yet, the scalability for such nanomaterials is constrained by the usage of raw material such as graphite, which is necessary for their synthesis. In this regard, petroleum coke (Pet coke), a byproduct of the coking process in the petrochemical industry with >80 wt% of carbon content, is becoming an appealing and economical choice to produce carbon-based nanostructures. This manuscript outlines current findings concerning the application of Pet coke as a forerunner for carbon nanomaterials, including graphene, nano porous carbon, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (RGO), carbon nanotubes, carbon quantum dots, graphene quantum dots, carbon nano onions. The study emphasizes the efficiency of these nanoarchitectures in targeted multi domain applications. This manuscript further outlines and examines greener and sustainable approaches for converting environmental hazardous waste to low-cost, eco-friendly, materials into cutting-edge scientific advancements that offer increased value, aligning with the UN's 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) Agenda.

Keywords: Carbon nanostructures; Cleaner energy and environment; GO and RGO; Graphene; Low-cost approaches; Pet coke; Sustainability.