Bio-oil: a versatile precursor to produce carbon nanostructures in liquid phase under mild conditions

Bio-oil can be converted to carbon nanostructures such as graphene, graphite-like structures, nanotubes and closed shell nanoparticles upon reaction with H2SO4 under mild conditions, i.e. 120 °C. The formation of these carbon nanostructures is discussed in terms of dehydration, condensation and aromatization processes of the complex bio-oil molecules to form nanographene precursors which in the liquid reaction medium can diffuse and further combine to produce different nanostructures.