Holey and Wrinkled Flash Graphene from Mixed Plastic Waste
Abstract
High surface area varieties of graphene have captured significant attention, allowing for improved performance in a variety of applications. However, there are challenges facing the use of graphene in these applications since it is expensive and difficult to synthesize in bulk. Here, we leverage the capabilities of flash Joule heating to synthesize holey and wrinkled flash graphene (HWFG) in seconds from mixed plastic waste feedstocks, using in situ salt decomposition to produce and stabilize pore formation during the reaction. Surface areas as high as 874 m 2 g –1 are obtained, with characteristics of micro-, meso-, and macroporosities. Raman spectroscopy confirms the wrinkled and turbostratic nature of the HWFG. We demonstrate HWFG applications in its use as a metal-free hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst, with excellent stability, competitive overpotential, and Tafel slope; in a Li-metal battery anode allowing for stable and high discharge rates; and in a material with high gas adsorption. This represents an upcycle of mixed plastic waste, thereby affording a valuable route to address this pressing environmental pollutant concern.
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Flash Joule Heating simultaneously induces pore construction (micro/meso/macropores) and surface wrinkling via an in-situ salt decomposition mechanism, resulting in a specific surface area as high as 874 m2/g.
“This technology simultaneously induces pore construction (coexistence of micro/meso/macropores) and surface wrinkling via an in-situ salt decomposition mechanism, resulting in a specific surface area as high as 874 m 2 /g.”
From Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications (2025) · cites this paper as [76]
Wyss and colleagues used Flash Joule Heating to achieve directional conversion of mixed plastic waste into hierarchically wrinkled flash graphene (HWFG).
“Wyss and colleagues utilized Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology to achieve the directional conversion of mixed plastic waste into hierarchically wrinkled flash graphene (HWFG) (Fig. 8a) [76] .”
From Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications (2025) · cites this paper as [76]
Spectroscopic characterization confirmed that HWFG has a high defect concentration and turbostratic graphene layer stacking characteristics.
“Spectroscopic characterization confirmed its high defect concentration and turbostratic graphene layer stacking characteristics.”
From Functional carbon materials from waste plastics: synthesis and applications (2025) · cites this paper as [76]
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Upcycling of Waste Plastic into Hybrid Carbon Nanomaterials
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- Authors
- Wyss, K. M., Chen, W., Beckham, J. L., Savas, P. E., & Tour, J. M.
- Affiliations
- Rice University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Tour, James M.
- Venue
- ACS Nano
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2022-04-26
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 7804-7815
- ISSN
- 1936-0851 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-086X
- OpenAlex
- W4224922088
- Cited by
- 91
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 5
- FWCI
- 4.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- ACS Nano (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Defense (FA9550-19-1-0296)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (W912HZ-21-2-0050)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Graphene research and applications
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication
- Keywords
- holey graphene, wrinkled graphene, flash Joule heating, mixed plastic waste, plastic waste upcycling, pore formation, high surface area, gas adsorption, turbostratic graphene
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