RESEARCH

3. Carbon Nanomaterials: Graphene, Fullerenes and Nanocarbons

Carbon nanomaterials are an important class of substances with great potential in a wide variety of applications. These include as electronic or optical materials, materials for photovoltaic applications and also as porous substances for materials’ sequestration, for instance, for environmental remediation.

Graphene Composites

Graphene-ionic liquid composites have been developed for sensing applications.

Graphene-ioinc liquid nanocomposite for differentiating aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons.
Graphene-ioinc liquid nanocomposite for differentiating aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Fullerene C60 Nanostructures

Fullerenes (e.g. C60, C70, nanotubes, etc.) are of great potential from the point-of-view of their electronic properties or, due to their nanometric dimensions, as nanomaterials. We, in collaboration with the Fullerene Engineering Group at NIMS, have been preparing a variety of forms of fullerene with potential applications in electronics and materials adsorption.

Forming fullerene nanostructures: solvent engineering of fullerene nanosheets (top left), liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation for porous fullerene nanosheets (bottom left) and decompositional synthesis of nanomaterials (right).
Forming fullerene nanostructures: solvent engineering of fullerene nanosheets (top left), liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation for porous fullerene nanosheets (bottom left) and decompositional synthesis of nanomaterials (right).

Porous Nanocarbons

Carbon nanocage for perfect materials’ separations.  Solution containing a (usually unretained) dyestuff is purified by passing through carbon nanocgae but not through other common carbon-based adsorbents.
Carbon nanocage for perfect materials’ separations.  Solution containing a
(usually unretained) dyestuff is purified by passing through carbon
nanocgae but not through other common carbon-based adsorbents.

Apart from the porous fullerene described above, various porous nanocarbons can be prepared for applications in materials adsorption, sensing or filtration.


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