Hydrothermal Synthesis of Carbon Nano-Onions from Citric Acid.

Abstract

Carbon nano-onions with concentric fullerene-like carbon shells were synthesized by hydrothermal carbonization of citric acids at 180 °C and formed through the intermediates of graphene quantum dots, graphitic nano-sheets and graphitic hollow polyhedrons. The graphene quantum dots were firstly formed by the dehydration of citric acids and then grew and stacked into graphitic nano-sheets, which curved into graphitic hollow polyhedrons due to the interface energy. The graphitic hollow polyhedrons eventually transformed into spherical carbon nano-onions with the lowest interface energy in the hydrothermal solution by disordering and rearrangement of the carbon shell.

• Authors: Song Sang, Sheng Yang, Aoping Guo, Xiang Gao, Yangyang Wang, Ce Zhang, Fangming Cui, Xiaojing Yang
• Journal: Chemistry, an Asian journal (Chem Asian J) Vol. 15 Issue 21 Pg. 3428-3431 (Nov 02 2020) ISSN: 1861-471X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 32954657 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.