Fullerene-containing material received by low-temperature cracking from rubber-containing wastes

The processing of rubber-containing products has an interest from an ecological point of view. In addition, it has been shown that the method of low-temperature catalytic cracking makes it possible to obtain fullerene-containing material from rubber-containing wastes, which opens up prospects for improving of the production of fullerenes. Such carbon material was obtained using the technology developed in 2009–2011. Using X-ray diffraction analysis, it was found that it contains about 3 % C$_{60}$ fullerene. This substance is characterized by high porosity and good sorption properties, for the study of which it was activated by the hydrothermal method. Especially good sorbent showed itself in the case of absorption of iron nitrate. The powder of the fullerene-containing material was compressed at the pressures from 20 to 50 atm. The resistivities of the resulting material, depending on the compression pressure, are 3$\cdot$10 Om$\cdot$cm. After studying of the current-voltage characteristics of the pressed substance, it was found out that its resistivity first increases (at pressures of 20–40 atm), and then decreases. Changes in specific conductivity, along with high sorption capacity, suggest the possibility of using of the carbon material in sensors and sensory devices. The activation energies were 0.06–0.15 eV for the uncompressed substance and 0.02–0.04 eV for the compressed at the pressure of 40 atm.