Carbon nano tube from natural source: banana peel

Abstract

Banana peel has a great potential to be used as a source of renewable biomass energy and for extracting some value-added material like activated carbon and carbon nano tube. Banana is the number one fruit in Bangladesh considering its year round availability, popularity and production. It accounts for 41% of the total fruit production from 21% share in area. The average yield of banana is 15 t/ha, which will result in a great source of banana peel. Carbon Nano Tubes are very small tubes made solely of carbon molecules. They may be single walled or multi walled having Sp2 bond on each atom. Due to their unique properties and infinite applications they are considered as the material of the future.. This thesis describes the extraction and derive of carbon nano tube from banana peel activated carbon and 2% mineral oil mixture which was used as a precursor for carbon nano tube and nano carbon. The process of synthesis involves pyrolysis of precursors at 1000C to 1200°C in a closed stainless-steel tube. The final products were analyzed using SEM, EDX.