Carbon based nanomaterials from locally available waste hydrocarbon precursors

Due to their prominently high surface area to volume ratio, nanomaterials and specifically carbon nano-materials (CNM) are showing an ever-increasing interest due to their superior mechanical, thermal, catalytic, electrical, and optical activity. Although the significance of CNMs has been reported in many fields, its commercial widespread is still lagging behind due to the cost and technical limitations involved in their synthesis. In this research proposal, the focus is to modify a custom-made CVD reactor to produce carbon nano-materials in a cost-effective approach. To address this serious issue, and contribute in improving an economically practical CNM production technology, this research proposes using activated carbon derived from local biomass as a basis for the production of CNMs. Different natural carbonaceous waste materials and specifically those generated from palm date tree will be tested as row materials for this purpose. The produced CNMs will be characterized and validated against commercially available alternatives.