SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING CARBON FIBER FROM COAL
Embodiments discloses herein relate to methods of processing coal. A method to process coal includes subjecting raw coal to a liquefaction process to form a pitch resin and refining the pitch resin to produce a mesophase pitch. The method further includes subjecting the mesophase pitch to a low crystallinity spinning process to form a raw fiber. The raw fiber is then further subjected to a stabilization process configured to oxygen cross-link the fiber to form a stabilized fiber and then subjecting the stabilized fiber to a carbonization process to form a carbon fiber.
1 . A method of producing graphene, the method comprising:
mixing coal with a cellulose-enriched biomass to form a biomass mixture;
grinding the biomass mixture into a powder;
subjecting the powder to a graphitization process to form a graphite;
acid leaching the graphite to remove impurities; and
shear mixing the graphite to form a graphene.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellulose-enriched biomass includes at least one of wood sawdust, paper waste, or bamboo.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising preheating the cellulose-enriched biomass prior to mixing coal with the cellulose-enriched biomass.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the preheating the cellulose-enriched biomass includes heating the cellulose-enriched biomass at ambient pressure to a temperature in a range from 400° C. to 600° C. and maintaining the temperature in a range from 1 hour to 6 hours.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphitization process comprises:
evacuating a ceramic vessel including the powder to a vacuum;
injecting 0.5% to 10% molar ratio of air into the vessel;
heating of the powder in the ceramic vessel to a temperature in a range from 1800° C. to 2600° C. and maintaining the temperature in a range from 1 hour to 8 hours;
cooling the powder to ambient temperature; and
repeating the heating and the cooling until the coal is graphitized.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
washing the graphite with distilled water after acid leaching the graphite; and
oven drying the graphite.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid leaching the graphite includes treating the graphite with at least one of sulfuric acid or nitric acid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the impurities include metal oxides.
9 . A method of producing graphene, the method comprising:
separating a graphite anode comprising a graphite lattice from a spent battery;
purifying the graphite anode;
acid leaching the graphite anode; and
shear mixing the graphite lattice to isolate a graphene sheet from the graphite lattice.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the purifying the graphite anode comprises soaking the graphite anode in N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP).
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the acid leaching the graphite anode comprises treating the graphite anode with at least one of sulfuric acid or nitric acid.
12 . A graphitization method comprising:
providing a powder comprising a mixture of coal and biomass in a vessel, the vessel comprising an insulator material;
evacuating the vessel;
injecting air into the vessel; and
heating the powder in the vessel to a temperature in a range from 1800° C. to 2600° C. and maintaining the temperature in a range from 1 hour to 8 hours.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vessel comprises a ceramic material.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the injecting air into the vessel comprises injecting 0.5% to 10% molar ratio of air into the vessel.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the heating the powder in the vessel comprises maintaining the temperature for 1 hour to 8 hours.
16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
cooling the powder to ambient temperature after heating the powder in the vessel; and
iterating by repeating the heating and the cooling until the coal is graphitized.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the iterating further comprises repeating the evacuating and the injecting along with the heating and the cooling until the coal is graphitized.
18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
mixing coal with a biomass to form the mixture of coal and biomass; and
grinding the mixture of coal and biomass into the powder.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the biomass comprises a cellulose-enriched biomass.
20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vessel is evacuated to a vacuum.