Synthesis and Characterisation of Carbon Nanofibers from Ricinus communis L. Oil by Chemical Vapour Deposition

Abstract

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are a fascinating class of carbon nanomaterials with unique properties and a wide range of applications. CNFs obtained using plant-based oil (Ricinus communis L.)as a sustainable carbon precursor via the Oil Vapor chemical vapor deposition (OV-CVD) method. Iron-based catalysts were placed in a quartz substrate, and the OV-CVD process was carried out at 800∘C under a flow of Hydrogen atmosphere. The synthesized CNFs were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Morphological analysis revealed the formation of entangled fibrous structures with average diameters in the range of 50−70nm and lengths up to several micrometers. Structural analysis confirmed the graphitic nature of the CNFs with varying degrees of defects depending on the synthesis conditions. The high surface area and thermal stability of the synthesized CNFs suggest their potential for Biomedical applications. This work demonstrates a promising pathway for the sustainable production of valuable carbon nanomaterials from readily available biomass resources.