Fuel

Carbon is found in nature in various forms with a wide range of physical qualities. The occurrence of one element in several structures has different physical qualities, but similar chemical properties are termed allotropy. Allotropy is a property of carbon. Allotropes have many elements with the same physical characteristics but are very chemical. The many allotropic kinds of carbon may be divided into crystalline and amorphous forms.

Crystalline Carbon

Diamond and graphite are the two sorts of crystalline formations. Two crystalline allotropes of carbon are diamonds and graphite. Covalent stones include diamond and graphite. Whatever the case may be, they have a wide range of features.

• Diamond 

Diamond is a form of carbon in which the atoms are arranged in a cubic crystal structure. Jewel comprises a three-dimensional arrangement of carbon molecules joined by solid covalent bonds. Each Carbon atom is in the sp3 hybridization state and is tetrahedrally bonded to four other carbon atoms. Diamonds are translucent octahedral precious stones with primarily bent surfaces that don’t shine much in their native setting.

• Graphite 

Each Carbon atom in graphite is in a situation of sp2 hybridization, which means it is covalently bonded to three nearby Carbon atoms in the same plane, in layers created by hexagonal rings. This allows each layer to slip over the other properly. Graphite is sensitive and slippery due to its structure, and it may be used as a lubricant. Graphite is used in constructing pencils, paints, cleaning products, and circular segment lights that provide a dazzling light. It is also used as protection.

Fuel Cell

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel and an oxidising agent into electricity through a pair of redox reactions.

Fuel Cell Structure

A fuel cell structure consists of two electrodes.

1. A negative electrode (or anode)
2. A positive electrode (or cathode)

These are sandwiched around an electrolyte. 

Synthetic Allotrope of Carbon

• Fullerenes

Because fullerenes lack the sparkling edges and surface bonds that attract neighbouring atoms seen in graphite and diamond, they are the only pure form of carbon. Fullerene is a giant spherical molecule with the formula C2n, where n≥30. Fullerene is made by heating graphite in an inert atmosphere such as helium or argon until the condensation of Cn tiny molecules generates a sooty substance.

• Amorphous Carbon

Carbon which lacks a crystalline structure is referred to as amorphous carbon. Like all glassy raw materials, some short-range sequences are observed in amorphous carbon. However, there is no long-range pattern of arrangement of atoms. 

• Coal 

Coal is found in vast amounts practically everywhere on the planet, and it is thought to have been created by the gradual carbonization of long-buried vegetative waste. Carbonization is the process of turning wood into coal under conditions of high pressure, high temperature, and no air. Anthracite is the purest of the coal varieties. It has a carbon content of 94-95 percent. 

Bituminous coal is the most common type; it’s black, hard, and burns with a smoky fire. Coal is primarily used as a mechanical fuel in steel mills, power plants, and other industrial applications. It can also be used as a household fuel to a limited extent.

• Charcoal 

Charcoal is a black, porous, and brittle substance. It works well as an adsorbent. Shade matter from solutions and hazardous gases from the air are adsorbed by charcoal powder. Charcoal can also be used as a reducing agent. There are various types of charcoal.

• Wood Charcoal: wood charcoal is formed when the wood is externally warmed in a highly confined air supply. The volatile items are allowed to escape. This is referred to as the destroying filtration of wood.
• Animal Charcoal: It is also known as Bone Charcoal and is obtained via the destructive distillation of bones. It consists of around 10-12 percent of amorphous carbon.
• Sugar Charcoal: This is the purest form of amorphous carbon. The conc H2SO4 achieves it on sucrose or cane sugar.
• Activated Charcoal: Charcoal is a highly porous substance that can often absorb its volume of gases. Charcoal can be heated at 1273 K in a superheated steam stream to boost its adsorption capability even further. This process eliminates the impurities getting stuck on the skin’s surface and thus obstructing the capillary pores.

Carbon Black

After natural gas is burned in an environment with a limited supply of air, the resulting sediment is collected on the underside of a rotating plate and is then scuffed off and stuffed in sacks. This is referred to as carbon black, and it includes 98-99 percent carbon. It’s made when carbon-rich hydrocarbons like kerosene oil, petroleum, turpentine oil, and acetylene are burned in a small amount of air. It differs from lamp black in that it is less greasy. Carbon black is incorporated into the rubber mix used for creating automobile tyres and has replaced the utilisation of lampblack for various functions.

Conclusion

Allotropes exist in two or more states of matter but the same physical state. The two most common chemical elements with allotropes are carbon and sulphur. Due to its valency, carbon may form a variety of allotropes. Graphite and diamond are two well-known carbon compounds. Diamond is the most popular allotrope of carbon with exceptional light dispersion and toughness. Graphene is a single sheet of carbon atoms organised in a single plane; graphite comprises graphene layers. At very extreme temps or tremendous pressures, many other additional uncommon forms of carbon occur.