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Recent developments in the synthesis of graphene and graphene-like structures from waste sources by recycling and upcycling technologies: a review

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Abstract

Among carbon-based nanomaterials, graphene and its derivatives have received remarkable attention due to their unique thermal, mechanical, and electronic properties and two-dimensional structure. The unique combination of graphene’s characteristics with the selected matrix exhibits extraordinary synergies in various fields such as energy, automotive, aerospace, and electronics. However, there are serious bottlenecks for the industrialization of graphene and increasing the number of graphene-based products in mass scale owing to high cost, harsh and toxic reaction conditions, agglomeration of nanosheets and limited production capacity. Therefore, the new trends focus on the usage of waste sources to produce value-added products in order to contribute waste management and circular economy. This review summarizes underlying and emerging trends for the development of recycling and upcycling methods for cost-efficient and mild synthesis of graphene and its derivatives from waste sources such as plastics, agricultural biomass waste, and cellulosic waste. The state of the research activities provides better understanding in the fabrication of graphene-like materials from waste products as solid carbon sources by using top-down and bottom-up approaches.

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Abbreviations

BC:

Bagasse carbon

CNT:

Carbon nanotubes

CTP:

Coal tar pitch

CVD:

Chemical vapor deposition

GO:

Graphene oxide

GQDs:

Graphene quantum dots

ICP:

Inductively coupled plasma

LACVD:

Laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition

LLDPE:

Linear low-density polyethylene

LPCVD:

Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition

MMT:

Modified montmorillonite

NBC:

Nitrogen-doped carbon

OMMT:

Organically modified montmorillonite

PE:

Polyethylene

PECVD:

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

PET:

Polyethylene terephthalate

PMMA:

Polymethyl methacrylate

PP:

Polypropylene

PS:

Polystyrene

PVC:

Polyvinyl chloride

rGO:

Reduced graphene oxide

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  1. Sabanci University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center and Composite Technologies Center of Excellence, Teknopark Istanbul, 34906, Pendik, İstanbul, Turkey

    Ilayda Berktas, Marjan Hezarkhani, Leila Haghighi Poudeh & Burcu Saner Okan

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  1. Ilayda Berktas
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  2. Marjan Hezarkhani
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Berktas, I., Hezarkhani, M., Haghighi Poudeh, L. et al. Recent developments in the synthesis of graphene and graphene-like structures from waste sources by recycling and upcycling technologies: a review. Graphene Technol 5, 59–73 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41127-020-00033-1

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