(8c) New BioBased Carbon Nano Structures and Their Nanocomposites

There is a huge demand for polymer nanocomposites (with a polymer matrix and a filler with at least one dimension less than 100 nm) using carbon-based fillers because of its improved mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. Green nanocomposites; that are derived from bio-based polymers and bio-based nanoparticles tend to be viewed as the next generation of materials for innovative industrial uses. Carbon nanostructures were successfully synthesised from lignin relatively at lower temperature adopting thermal carbonizing process. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis confirmed the formation of carbon nanostructures. The order of chemical modification with the suitable additives will tailored the stacking of carbon in to different structures. Scale up process for the production of lignin based carbon nanostructures at low-cost for large-scale applications in green nanocomposites are possible in the near future.

This research is financially supported Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)-2008 New Directions Research Program Project number SR9225