writer：Lumin Chen, Houyong Yu, Wenlong Zhou, Kam Chiu Tam
keywords：cellulose nanocrystal, graphitization, highly ordered graphitic structure, conductive nanocellulose
source：期刊
specific source：doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c05101
Issue time：2022年

Graphitic carbon nanomaterials are highly attractive for numerous applications due to their unique mechanical, electronic, thermal, and optical properties. Although there are many methods to produce graphite such as extraction from natural graphite mines or synthesis of graphite from carbonaceous compounds, the existing problems include quite complex and unsafe preparation processes, large energy consumption, and high cost, which fail to satisfy the requirements of sustainable development for the environment and economy. Here, we report an efficient and controllable strategy to prepare highly oriented and ordered graphitized cellulose nanocrystal (GCNC) with well-defined sizes and shapes at low temperature and atmospheric pressure by hydrolyzing the disordered regions of microcrystalline cellulose with sulfuric acid and further dehydrating and carbonizing its surface. The as-synthesized GCNC has a high degree of graphitization along with a yield of ～24%, and the high-quality graphitic carbon layers enable the GCNC to own electrical conductivity and excellent electrochemical performance. Moreover, the cellulose characteristics are well retained, which endows the GCNC with excellent solution dispersibility. Our study provides a new avenue to synthesize graphitic carbon and redefines conductive nanocellulose, with anticipation that holds promising application prospects in the fields of hybrid composites, energy storage, and electronics.