Sustainable Algae-Derived Carbon Particles from Hydrothermal Liquefaction: An Innovative Reinforcing Agent for Epoxy Matrix Composite

Abhijeet Mali, Philip Agbo, Shobha Mantripragada, Vishwas S. Jadhav, Lijun Wang () and Lifeng Zhang ()
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Abhijeet Mali: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
Philip Agbo: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
Shobha Mantripragada: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
Vishwas S. Jadhav: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
Lijun Wang: Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
Lifeng Zhang: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: Algae is a promising sustainable feedstock for the generation of bio-crude oil, which is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, through the thermochemical process of hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). However, this process also generates carbon particles (algae-derived carbon, ADC) as a significant byproduct. Herein, we report a brand-new and value-added use of ADC particles as a reinforcing agent for epoxy matrix composites (EMCs). ADC particles were synthesized through HTL processing of Chlorella vulgaris (a green microalgae) and characterized for morphology, average size, specific surface area, porosity, and functional groups. The ADC particles were subsequently integrated into a representative epoxy resin (EPON 862) as a reinforcing filler at loading levels of 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% by weight. The tensile, flexural, and Izod impact properties, as well as the thermal stability, of the resulting EMCs were evaluated. It is revealed that the ADC particles are a sustainable and effective reinforcing agent for EMCs at ultra-low loading. Specifically, the ADC-reinforced EMC with 1 wt.% ADC showed improvements of ~24%, ~30%, ~31%, and ~57% in tensile strength, Young’s modulus, elongation at break, and work of fracture (WOF), respectively, and improvements of ~10%, ~37%, ~24%, and ~39% in flexural strength, flexural modulus, flexural elongation at break, and flexural WOF, respectively, as well as an improvement of ~54% in Izod impact strength, compared to those corresponding properties of neat epoxy. In the meantime, the thermal decomposition temperatures at 60% and 80% weight loss of the abovementioned ADC-reinforced EMC increased from 410 °C to 415 °C and from 448 °C to 515 °C in comparison with those of neat epoxy. This study highlighted the potential of sustainable ADC particles as a reinforcing agent in the field of polymer matrix composite materials, which represented a novel and sustainable approach that would mitigate greenhouse gas remission and reduce reliance on nonrenewable reinforcing fillers in the polymer composite industry.

Keywords: microalgae; hydrothermal liquefaction; carbon particle; reinforcing effect; epoxy composite (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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