However, as Jacob noted, employing it in conjunction with microplastics is revolutionary “because it utilizes solid, environmentally hazardous feedstock, addressing both plastic waste and material synthesis in a novel way.” The method has previously been used to produce graphene from methane, ethanol, and oil vapors.
Microplastics quickly decompose into gases like methane, a precursor gas for the creation of graphene, when they are placed in the chamber containing the plasma. Jacob clarified, “Methane is significant because it breaks down further in the plasma to release carbon atoms.” After then, these carbon atoms recombine and arrange themselves into graphene’s hexagonal lattice structure.
This method of producing graphene is less wasteful, cleaner, and requires less pre-processing than previous methods. “On the other hand, conventional techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are more costly because of elevated energy and material expenses,” stated Mohammed Adeel Zafar, a James Cook University researcher and coauthor of this study.
He also thinks that the advantages of cleaning the environment can outweigh any disparities in cost. According to Zafar, “atmospheric pressure microwave plasma not only supports a circular economy and aligns with sustainability goals by producing valuable graphene and removing harmful microplastics from the environment.”
