Self‐propagating high‐temperature fast reduction of magnesium oxalate to novel nanocarbons

Abstract

Combustion synthesis is known as a cost‐effective technique to produce many novel ceramic nanomaterials such as nitrides, carbides, and intermetallic compounds. Herein, we report an extremely fast chemical transformation of magnesium–magnesium oxalate (Mg/MgC 2 O 4 ) mixtures into solid products containing different nanocarbons and MgO. Despite a wide range of molar ratios of reactants all combustions, carried out in Ar at 1 MPa, were successful. The solid products were chemically purified (leaching of unreacted Mg and MgO) and characterized by XRD, SEM/EDX, TEM, DSC, and Raman spectroscopy. The residue contained mostly layered (circa several nm thick) carbon petal‐like nanostructures and carbon‐coated MgO.