Structure and properties of nanocarbons-encapsulated WC synthesized by solution plasma process in palm oils

Palm oil is produced in the ASEAN region. The overhang of stocks, propellant fouling in the production process and used oils existed there. It is a crucial issue to make efficient use of such palm oils. Solution plasma process (SPP) is one step non-thermal plasma in the liquid phase. Our laboratory has already synthesized the nanocarbons materials, graphene, hetero-graphene from organic molecules by SP. Organic ones engineer these material sources. When the functionalized nanocarbon can be synthesized from natural products and their dust, the functionalized carbon materials are supplied by the green process and low price. We had already synthesized nanocarbons by SP from the palm oils. The nanocarbons were covered enhanced electrical conductivity of nanocarbons, which is referred to the nanocarbons-encapsulated WC (tungsten carbides). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the structure and the properties of nanocarbons-encapsulated WC to provide the nanocarbons-encapsulated. The solution plasma was generated by the bipolar pulsed power supply through two tungsten electrodes using 2 mu s pulse widths and frequencies (100, 150, and 180 kHz) for 30 min. We found that the observed plasma types depended on the discharge conditions. Conversion percentage of the oil to WC-encapsulated nanocarbon (% yield) was increased with frequency. The obtained X-ray diffraction patterns are showed the crystalline structure. The morphology of nanocarbon capsules WC are spherical shapes and less than 10 nm size. The electrochemical properties indicate that the ORR activity in an acidic medium under saturated O-2 significantly disappears in the case of the nanocarbon-encapsulated WC synthesised in the high frequency (180 kHz). The synthesized nanocarbons-encapsulated WC might be applied in data storage and energy applications.

Automated summary

Palm oil is sourced from the ASEAN region and efforts have been made to efficiently utilize it through solution plasma processes, resulting in the synthesis of nanocarbons with improved electrical conductivity, encapsulating tungsten carbides. The study evaluated the structure and properties of these nanocarbons-encapsulated WC, showing potential applications in data storage and energy fields.