Carbon composites, such as C/Ni, C/magnetite, C/Ni2P, have been successfully synthesized by utilizing renewable resource from plant, tannin. The tannin, a flavonoid, is used as carbon source and fuel in the reduction process. Tannin is commonly found in a plant parts such as leaf, seed, root, and bark. The synthesis involved microwave heating using a graphite-jacket method developed in our laboratory. The tannin is extracted from leaves from trees exfoliation. The tannin is complexed with metal ions from different salts. The complexes, the precursor materials, are later microwaved using the developed method. The gases produced during the microwave heating create a reducing environment that reduces metal ions to elemental metal or metal oxides. The synthesized composites are later characterized by several techniques. Herein, one application of the composites is shown; it is for arsenic and phosphate removal from contaminated water. Other possible applications are catalyst, solar panel, and electronic devices.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of carbon composites from dead leaves

245th National Meeting (2013)

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