Growth of Carbon Nanofibers Synthesised from Decomposition of Liquid Organic Waste on a Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Analyses

A hydrocarbon-electrocracking process for the production of high-quality carbon nanofibers based on acetylene from decomposition of liquid organic waste on a Ni/Al2O3 catalyst is demonstrated. The reaction of acetylene is kinetically slow below 400 °C and thermodynamically limited above this temperature. Our experimental results suggest that the rate of carbon deposition depends on the reaction temperature. The morphological characteristics of the graphene layers grown are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which shows thin, well-formed filaments among much wider nanofibers and a small amount of soot. The specimen does not contain free soot, but the nonuniformity of the amorphous carbon coating on certain fibers results in the formation of soot-like nanoballs along the fibers.