Tuesday, 11 October 2022: 17:10
Plasma conversion of ethanol into carbon nanostructures is easily achieved by in-liquid plasmas but also possible with atmospheric pressure plasmas, where plasma forms in the gas phase over the liquid’s surface. Two plasma configurations were used – atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). These plasmas configurations should help reveal synthesis paths of different carbon allotropes. Moreover, this focus is on the determination of the importance of the in-liquid electrode material on nanostructure production and the possibilities of controlling nano-carbon allotropes by controlling plasma parameters. Plasma-liquid interaction was additionally influenced by an electrode placed under the treatment chamber or the addition of a graphite foil in the liquid ethanol. The experiments were conducted in ethanol with argon plasma, indicating an interesting pathway for converting ethanol into nanocarbons. Ethanol solution was analysed with UV-Vis spectroscopy, while carbon nanostructures were more thoroughly investigated with SEM and TEM. In the beginning, obtained carbon allotropes were mostly amorphous, whose size reduced with longer treatment times and structured carbon was synthesised.