Synthesis of carbon nano-chains from glycerol-ethanol decomposition over Ni-Fe alloy catalyst

•Alternative precursor (glycerol-ethanol blend) for CNCs synthesis was used.•Ni-Fe alloy (Taenite phase) was the active phase for CNCs synthesis.•CNCs size depends on reduction temperature of the Taenite phase.•Reduction temperatures as 600 °C and 900 °C led to the same Taenite phase with different particle size. Therefore, different CNCs sizes were obtained.•No metal carbide species was found to be formed during CNCs synthesis.•A CNCs growth model was proposed.

A carbon nano-structure with chain-like morphology was synthesized during ethanol-glycerol blend decomposition over Ni-Fe alloy catalyst supported on La2O3. Chemical characterization of catalyst showed that the active phase during carbon decomposition process corresponds to Taenite and the growth for this carbon nanostructure follows a similar mechanism to that proposed for carbon nano-onions (CNOs), but does not imply the formation of carbides species over the catalyst surface. Also, the shape and size of the carbon nano-chains (CNCs) were influenced for both the Fe content in the alloy and the temperature of catalyst reduction.

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