Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage

Carbon nanostructures are highly promising materials for applications in a variety of different fields. Besides their interesting performances, the possibility to synthesize them from biowaste makes them an eco-friendly resource widely exploitable within a circular economy context. The present work...

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Main Authors: Pierfrancesco Atanasio, Rubia Y. S. Zampiva, Luca Buccini, Corrado Di Conzo, Anacleto Proietti, Francesco Mura, Annalisa Aurora, Andrea G. Marrani, Daniele Passeri, Marco Rossi, Mauro Pasquali, Francesca A. Scaramuzzo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5666
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author Pierfrancesco Atanasio
Rubia Y. S. Zampiva
Luca Buccini
Corrado Di Conzo
Anacleto Proietti
Francesco Mura
Annalisa Aurora
Andrea G. Marrani
Daniele Passeri
Marco Rossi
Mauro Pasquali
Francesca A. Scaramuzzo
author_facet Pierfrancesco Atanasio
Rubia Y. S. Zampiva
Luca Buccini
Corrado Di Conzo
Anacleto Proietti
Francesco Mura
Annalisa Aurora
Andrea G. Marrani
Daniele Passeri
Marco Rossi
Mauro Pasquali
Francesca A. Scaramuzzo
author_sort Pierfrancesco Atanasio
collection DOAJ
description Carbon nanostructures are highly promising materials for applications in a variety of different fields. Besides their interesting performances, the possibility to synthesize them from biowaste makes them an eco-friendly resource widely exploitable within a circular economy context. The present work deals with the green, one-pot synthesis of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from carbon aerogels (CAs) derived from rice husk (RH). After having obtained CAs upon purification of RH, followed by gelification and carbonization of the resulting cellulose, the one-pot solventless production of GQDs was obtained by ball milling. This method determined the formation of crystalline nanostructures with a diameter of around 20 nm, which were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy to obtain a full morphological and structural characterization. GQDs were used as electrode materials for supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries, showing the ability to both accumulate charges over the surface and intercalate lithium-ions. The reported results are a proof of principle of the possibility of exploiting GQDs as support material for the development of advanced systems for energy storage.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1420-3049
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publishDate 2024-11-01
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series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-c483ccb48b4540488dd7e214c07ba89f2024-12-13T16:28:38ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-11-012923566610.3390/molecules29235666Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy StoragePierfrancesco Atanasio0Rubia Y. S. Zampiva1Luca Buccini2Corrado Di Conzo3Anacleto Proietti4Francesco Mura5Annalisa Aurora6Andrea G. Marrani7Daniele Passeri8Marco Rossi9Mauro Pasquali10Francesca A. Scaramuzzo11Department of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Polytechnic of Turin, Corso Castelfilardo 39, 10129 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources C.R. ENEA Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering (SBAI), Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, ItalyCarbon nanostructures are highly promising materials for applications in a variety of different fields. Besides their interesting performances, the possibility to synthesize them from biowaste makes them an eco-friendly resource widely exploitable within a circular economy context. The present work deals with the green, one-pot synthesis of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from carbon aerogels (CAs) derived from rice husk (RH). After having obtained CAs upon purification of RH, followed by gelification and carbonization of the resulting cellulose, the one-pot solventless production of GQDs was obtained by ball milling. This method determined the formation of crystalline nanostructures with a diameter of around 20 nm, which were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy to obtain a full morphological and structural characterization. GQDs were used as electrode materials for supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries, showing the ability to both accumulate charges over the surface and intercalate lithium-ions. The reported results are a proof of principle of the possibility of exploiting GQDs as support material for the development of advanced systems for energy storage.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5666graphene quantum dotsrice husksupercapacitorsLi-ion batteriesnanomaterialsenergy storage
spellingShingle Pierfrancesco Atanasio
Rubia Y. S. Zampiva
Luca Buccini
Corrado Di Conzo
Anacleto Proietti
Francesco Mura
Annalisa Aurora
Andrea G. Marrani
Daniele Passeri
Marco Rossi
Mauro Pasquali
Francesca A. Scaramuzzo
Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
Molecules
graphene quantum dots
rice husk
supercapacitors
Li-ion batteries
nanomaterials
energy storage
title Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
title_full Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
title_fullStr Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
title_full_unstemmed Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
title_short Graphene Quantum Dots from Agricultural Wastes: Green Synthesis and Advanced Applications for Energy Storage
title_sort graphene quantum dots from agricultural wastes green synthesis and advanced applications for energy storage
topic graphene quantum dots
rice husk
supercapacitors
Li-ion batteries
nanomaterials
energy storage
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5666
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