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In this work, a simple method is reported for the synthesis of bundles of carbon nanostructures under room temperature and atmospheric pressure. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser (355 nm, 10 Hz) is focused into the mixture of ferrocene and xylene solutions to produce the nanostructures in which ferrocene plays the role of a catalyst while xylene is the carbon source for nanostructure growth. During the period of irradiation, the color of solution turns into dark brown from transparent orange. Upon the completion of irradiation, typically for an hour, a variety of bundles of carbon nanostructures are found in the solution. Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to investigate the nanostructures.

Some people think that carbon and sustainable development are not compatible. This textbook shows that carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and bio-carbon from biomass are our best allies in the energy transition, towards greater sustainability. We pose the problem of the decarbonation (or decarbonization) of our economy by looking at ways to reduce our dependence on fossil carbon (coal, petroleum, natural gas, bitumen, carbonaceous shales, lignite, peat). The urgent goal is to curb the exponential increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and hydrosphere (Figures 1.1 and 1.2) that is directly related to our consumption of fossil carbon for our energy and materials The goal of the Paris agreement (United Nations COP 21, Dec. 12, 2015) of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees (compared to the pre-industrial era, before 1800) is becoming increasingly unattainable (Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), report of Aug. 6, 2021). On Aug. 9, 2021 Boris Johnson, prime minister of the United Kingdom, declared that coal needs to be consigned to history to limit global warming. CO₂ has an important social cost…