Production of graphene-containing carbon powders via fast Joule heating for fiberglass modification

The present study outlines the synthesis of carbon that include graphene flakes. The production process employed rapid Joule heating of a mixture consisting of finely dispersed polypropylene powder and carbon black in a 1:1 ratio. An experimental model of the installation was developed and constructed, based on a capacitor bank with a total capacitance of 32 mF and an inductor with a nominal value of 24 mH for production purposes. A solution was prepared that included a colloidal dispersion of epoxy resins, an amine hardener in a mixture of deionized water and ethyl alcohol in a ratio of 4:0.6:10, along with 1 wt. % of the resulting carbon powder and carbon black, to be used as an impregnating compound for glass fibers. The estimated synthesis temperature reached up to 2200 °C, with a duration of approximately 32 ms. Studies of Raman spectra and optical density in the UV range indicate that the synthesized carbon powders contain graphene flakes with lateral dimensions of up to 13 nm. The results of elemental analysis reveal a significant increase in the carbon atom content in the impregnated fiber compared to the original glass fiber. Electrical measurements of the temperature dependence of the current-voltage (C-V) characteristics demonstrated the presence of electrical conductivity at low temperatures, corresponding to a resistance of up to 8 MΩ/sq. In the future, electrical conductivity may be enhanced by increasing the discharge power. The developed configuration for fast Joule heating has the potential to be integrated into the field of efficient recycling of plastic waste. The resulting carbon powders can serve as modifying additives for glass fiber used in the production of fiberglass concretes.