Controllable synthesis of multi-layer graphene flakes and multi-wall carbon nanotubes from pyrolyzing biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) composites

This work reports a simple method to synthesize multi-layer graphene flakes (MLGFs) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) from pyrolyzing biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (―[OC(CH2)2COO(CH2)4O]n―) composites. The obtained carbon nanomaterials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SEM and TEM results indicated that the morphology of the carbon nanomaterials was significantly influenced by the catalyst precusors used. When MnO2 was used as the catalyst precusor, MLGFs with the thickness between 1.4 and 4 nm were produced. However, when Ni2O3 was used, MWCNTs with the diameter of 18–28 nm were obtained. The XRD patterns demonstrated that MnO and Ni, in situ formed from MnO2 and Ni2O3, were the active sites for the formation of MLGFs and MWCNTs respectively. On the basis of the results, a possible formation mechanism of MLGFs and MWCNTs was proposed.