Production of carbon nanotubes by the catalytic decomposition of methane

• Grant number: 21/00622-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Joao Batista Oliveira dos Santos
• Grantee: Henrique Carvalhais Milanezi
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/01258-5 - Novel chemical catalytic and photocatalytic processes for the direct conversion of methane and CO2 to products, AP.TEM

Abstract

The catalytic decomposition of methane is a promising process to produce hydrogen and carbon nanoparticles, which depending on the reaction conditions can be SWCNTs-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, MWCNTs-Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes or nanofibers. These materials can be used in several areas, such as in medicine, aeronautics, pharmaceutical and microelectronics. The production of these materials depends on several factors, such as the type of catalyst, the carbon source, the reaction temperature and the flow rate and composition of the reaction mixture. Therefore, to prepare SWCNTs or MWCNTs it is necessary to develop a catalyst with the appropriate properties and to use the ideal reaction conditions. In this project, the proposal is to develop a Fe catalyst supported on MgO, with a content of 1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15% by weight of Fe, to be used in the production of carbon nanotubes using the decomposition of methane. The main objective of the project is to verify the influence of process variables on the production of carbon nanotubes. The catalysts will be prepared by impregnation and characterized by x-ray diffraction, temperature programmed reduction, nitrogen adsorption, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The carbon nanotubes will be synthesized in a fixed bed reactor via methane decomposition.