
17Green Carbon Nanomaterials
Given that polyethylene-based used plastics need hundreds of years to degrade
in atmospheric conditions and innovative solutions are required for polymer waste,
this technology represents a very environmentally friendly and low-cost method to
produce carbon nanotubes.
Graphitic carbon nanostructures have been synthesized from cellulose by Sevilla
via a simple methodology that essentially consists of (i) hydrothermal treatment of
cellulose at 250°C and (ii) impregnation of the carbonaceous product with a nickel
salt followed by thermal treatment at 900°C [36]. The formation of graphitic carbon
nanostructures seems to ...