Systems and methods for eliminating carbon dioxide and capturing solid carbon are disclosed. By eliminating carbon dioxide gas, e.g., from an effluent exhaust stream of a fossil fuel fired electric power production facility, the inventive concepts presented herein represent an environmentally-clean solution that permanently eliminates greenhouse gases while at the same time producing captured solid carbon products that are useful in various applications including advanced composite material synthesis (e.g., carbon fiber, 3D graphene) and energy storage (e.g., battery technology). Capture of solid carbon during the disclosed process for eliminating greenhouse gasses avoids the inefficiencies and risks associated with conventional carbon dioxide sequestration. Colocation of the disclosed reactor with a fossil fuel fired power production facility brings to bear an environmentally beneficial, and financially viable approach for permanently capturing vast amounts of solid carbon from carbon dioxide gas and other greenhouse gases that would otherwise be released into Earth's biosphere.

A system and process for producing doped carbon nanomaterials is disclosed. A carbonate electrolyte including a doping component is provided during the electrolysis between an anode and a cathode immersed in carbonate electrolyte contained in a cell. The carbonate electrolyte is heated to a molten state. An electrical current is applied to the anode, and cathode, to the molten carbonate electrolyte disposed between the anode and cathode. A morphology element maximizes carbon nanotubes, versus graphene versus carbon nano-onion versus hollow carbon nano-sphere nanomaterial product. The resulting carbon nanomaterial growth is collected from the cathode of the cell.

In a first implementation, a method for exfoliation of graphene flakes from a graphite sample includes compressing a graphite sample in an electrochemical reactor and applying a voltage between the graphite sample and an electrode in the electrochemical cell.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for providing an electrolysis reaction in a molten carbonate electrolyte to synthesize helical carbon nanostructures (HCNSs). The electrolyte, electrode composition, current density, temperature and additives all may have important roles in the formation of HCNS. With control of these parameters, a variety of specific, uniform high yield HCNS can be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for providing an electrolysis reaction in a molten carbonate electrolyte to synthesize helical carbon nanostructures (HCNSs). The electrolyte, electrode composition, current density, temperature and additives all may have important roles in the formation of HCNS. With control of these parameters, a variety of specific, uniform high yield HCNS can be synthesized by molten carbonate electrolysis, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

An electrolytic cell includes a liquid metal cathode, an anode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the liquid metal cathode and the anode. The molten salt electrolyte includes carbonate ions, and the electrolytic cell is configured to reduce the carbonate ions at the surface of the cathode or in the vicinity of the cathode to yield a carbon material and oxide ions. Producing a carbon material in the electrolytic cell includes providing carbonate ions to the electrolytic cell, reducing the carbonate ions at the liquid metal cathode to yield the carbon material, and removing the carbon material from the electrolytic cell.

An electrolytic cell includes a liquid metal cathode, an anode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the liquid metal cathode and the anode. The molten salt electrolyte includes carbonate ions, and the electrolytic cell is configured to reduce the carbonate ions at the surface of the cathode or in the vicinity of the cathode to yield a carbon material and oxide ions. Producing a carbon material in the electrolytic cell includes providing carbonate ions to the electrolytic cell, reducing the carbonate ions at the liquid metal cathode to yield the carbon material, and removing the carbon material from the electrolytic cell.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, system and composition producing a magnetic carbon nanomaterial product that may comprise carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at least some of which are magnetic CNTs (mCNTs). The method and apparatus employ carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) as a reactant in an electrolysis reaction in order to make mCNTs. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a magnetic additive component is included as a reactant in the method and as a portion of one or more components in the system or composition to facilitate a magnetic material addition process, a carbide nucleation process or both during the electrosynthesis reaction for making magnetic carbon nanomaterials.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, system and composition producing a magnetic carbon nanomaterial product that may comprise carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at least some of which are magnetic CNTs (mCNTs). The method and apparatus employ carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) as a reactant in an electrolysis reaction in order to make mCNTs. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a magnetic additive component is included as a reactant in the method and as a portion of one or more components in the system or composition to facilitate a magnetic material addition process, a carbide nucleation process or both during the electrosynthesis reaction for making magnetic carbon nanomaterials.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a process for making a carbanogel buckypaper product. Such carbanogel buckypaper product may be imparted with enhanced properties as compared to other buckypaper products. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the carbanogel can be generated by an electrolysis process that can transform a carbon-containing gas into a carbon nanomaterial.