The synthesis of biographene oxide from the graphitic structure of PKS, EFB and OPF

due to the extraction of natural graphite has become motivations to
improve the process development of synthetic graphite. However, the
conventional process for synthetic graphite production requires high
temperatures, extreme process conditions, and expensive equipment.
This drives further research work on finding more straightforward
options. This research study a simpler direct transformation method
using Palm Kernel Shell (PKS), Oil Palm Fond (OPF, Empty Fruit
Bunch (EFB) as carbon precursors via a catalytic graphitization
process. The process involved raw material preparation,
carbonization process, Iron-Silica catalyst impregnation and
graphitization. Three parameters were observed, including
graphitization temperature, type of raw material and amount of Iron
catalyst loadings. The Bio-synthetic graphite produced were later
undergone an “improved method” to form Graphene Oxide (GO).
The graphitic carbon produced was characterized using X-Ray
Diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer-EmmetTeller (BET) Surface Area and High-Resolution Transmission
Electron Microscope (HRTEM). Overall successful transformation
of amorphous carbon to graphitic structure for PKS, EFB, and OPF
was evidenced by the XRD pattern and Raman spectra. It was found
that PKS was the greatest carbon precursor for the graphitization
process, followed by EFB and OPF. The former exhibited the nearest
interlayer spacing to natural graphite with the lowest Id/Ig value.
This can be seen from the HRTEM image of the PKS-1300-40
sample. The results attributed to the highest percentage of lignin in
PKS rather than in EFB and OPF. A very significant transformation
of bio-synthetic graphite to GO powder was also evidenced in XRD
patterns and RAMAN spectroscopy. As for bio-synthetic graphene
PKS, EFB and OPF depicted XRD patterns with broad peak centring
around 2𝜃~25°. It was found an absence of GO characteristic peak at
2𝜃~10.7°.