Nanoporous carbons through direct carbonization of a zeolitic imidazolate framework for supercapacitor electrodes

Nanoporous carbons with high surface area are achieved through direct carbonization of a commercially available zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) without any additional carbon sources. The resultant nanoporous carbons exhibit high electrochemical capacitances in an acidic aqueous electrolyte.     

Effect of some ammonium salts on thermal decomposition of impregnated wood and properties of activated carbons

Methods of chemical, thermal, IR spectral, and X-ray phase analysis were used to study the effect of ammonium additives NH₄Cl + NH₄NO₃ introduced into a phosphorus-nitrogen formulation on the thermal decomposition of impregnated wood in the temperature range 20–700°C and on adsorption characteristics of the resulting activated carbon.     

Low-temperature carbonization of polyacrylonitrile and its copolymers

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Facile preparation of hierarchical porous carbons for supercapacitors by direct carbonization of potassium humate

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly strategy for the preparation of porous carbons for supercapacitors via direct carbonization of...     

Structural and adsorptive properties of activated carbons prepared by carbonization and activation of resins

Four activated carbons (S1-S4) possessing different structural characteristics were prepared by carbonization of commercial resins (used for ion exchange) and subsequent activation. Their textural parameters were determined on the basis of nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77.4 K, analyzed by applying several local and overall adsorption isotherm equations. The nature of carbon surface functionalities was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy. The GC and solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques were applied to study the influence of the texture of carbonaceous materials on their adsorptive properties. The adsorption efficiency of synthesized carbons with respect to alkylhalides used as probe compounds in the GC measurements varied over a range from 28% (C(2)H(3)Cl(3)/S2) to 85% (CHBr(3)/S1) depending on the type of adsorbates and adsorbents. The concentrating efficiency of these carbons in SPE of explosive materials changed over a larger range from 12% (trinitroglycerin/S4) and 13% (trinitrotoluene/S2) up to 100% (octogen/S1). Active carbon prepared using Zerolite 225x8 as a precursor demonstrated better results than other carbons in two types of adsorption with average values of the efficiency of 75.4% for explosives and 60.8% for alkylhalides.     

Nanoporous thin films from ionically connected diblock copolymers

An ionically connected polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (PS^?+PEO) has been prepared by blending a PEO block functionalized by a dimethylamino group at one extremity with a sulfonic acid terminated PS block. Proton transfer occurs from the sulfonic acid to the dimethylamino group, resulting in the formation of an ion pair acting as a junction between the two polymer blocks. This copolymer was further used to prepare thin films with a cylindrical morphology consisting of PEO cylinders embedded in a PS matrix and oriented perpendicularly to the film surface. Nanoporous thin films with sulfonate groups on the pore walls have been finally obtained after solvent extraction of the PEO microphases. The presence of those sulfonate groups was evidenced by grafting a positively charged fluorescent dye on the pore walls.     

Nitrogen-self-doped mesoporous carbons synthesized by the direct carbonization of ferric ammonium citrate for high-performance supercapacitors

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - We report a simple method of synthesizing nitrogen-self-doped mesoporous carbons by the direct carbonization of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) in an inert...     

Surface characteristics of activated carbons obtained by pyrolysis of plasma pretreated PET

Activated carbon materials have been prepared by pyrolysis of plasma pretreated recycled PET. The obtained carbon materials have been texturally characterized by N2 (77 K) and CO2 (273 K) adsorption. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) have been used to analyze the surface of the treated precursors. Carbon materials obtained by He, N2, and CO2 plasma pretreatments (4 min) of the precursor and subsequent pyrolysis have shown a higher adsorption capacity than the corresponding chars (untreated pyrolised PET). This effect seems to be related to the elimination by the plasma treatments of low-molecular-weight products in the precursor, which are responsible for the formation of amorphous carbon deposits during the carbonization that blocks the porosity. Longer periods of treatment (15 min) do not favor the opening of the microporosity because cross-linking reactions in the precursor producing high molecular weight deposits prevail. The development of porosity is less relevant if oxygen plasma is used, as a considerable amount of oxygen functionalities are also formed. These groups can decompose during pyrolysation producing the above-mentioned amorphous carbon deposits. The textural characteristics of the carbon materials obtained after 4 min of plasma treatment on the precursor are very similar to those obtained after 4 h of CO2 (1073 K) activation of the same char. Therefore, this method can be an alternative to avoid the burnoff and high energy cost of the activation step.     

Nanoporous carbons as promising novel methane adsorbents for natural gas technology

Nanoporous carbons were synthesized using furfuryl alcohol and sucrose as precursors and MCM-41 and mordenite as nanoporous templates.The produced nanoporous carbons were used as adsorbent for methane storage.The average pore diameter of the samples varied from 3.9 nm to 5.9 nm and the BET surface area varied from 320m2/g to 824m2/g.The volumetric adsorption experiments revealed that MCM-41 and sucrose had better performance compared with mordenite and furfuryl alcohol,correspondingly.Also,the effect of precursor to template ratio on the structure of nanoporous carbons and their adsorption capacities was investigated.The nanoporous carbon produced from MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieve partially filled by sucrose shows the best methane adsorption capacity among the tested samples.     

Adsorption characteristics of activated carbons obtained from corncobs

Dried, crushed, corncobs were carbonized at 500°C and steam activated (in one- or two-step schemes), or activated with H₃PO₄. The products were characterized by N₂ adsorption at 77 K, using the BET, _s and DR methods. Adsorption capacity was demonstrated by the iodine and phenol numbers, and the isotherms of methylene blue and Pb²⁺ ions, from aqueous solutions. A distribution of porosity in the carbons was estimated within the various ranges (ultra-, super-, meso- and macropores). Simple carbonization yields a poor adsorbing carbon; only its uptake for iodine was high and proposed to be due to an addition reaction on residual unsaturation of the parent lignocellulosic structures. Enhanced porosity was best associated with chemical activation and/or steam pyrolysis at 700°C. These activated carbons proved highly porous and rich in mesopores, and showed high adsorption capacity for methylene blue and Pb²⁺ ions. Phenol uptake was found to depend on surface chemical nature of the carbon rather than its porous properties. Corncobs were postulated to be feasible as feedstock to produce good adsorbing carbons, under the one-step activation schemes outlined here.     

Structural studies of a carbonizate obtained from solid cellulose-containing waste by sulfuric acid carbonization

Results of a study of a carbon material (carbonizate) obtained in processing of a solid cellulose-containing waste with concentrated sulfuric acid are presented. The mass fractions of water, water-soluble and-insoluble ash, and total pore volume for water were determined. Data furnished by electron microscopy and small-angle neutron scattering were used to analyze the structure of the material and identify factors affecting the cluster organization. Areas in which the carbonizate can be used are suggested.     

Properties of polymer blends and triblock copolymers obtained by neutron scattering

Static and dynamic scattering properties of polymer blends and block copolymers are examined within the random phase approximation (RPA). A self-consistent theoretical scheme for a simultaneous analysis of elastic and quasielastic scattering data is presented. The case of a triblock copolymer made of an ordinary central block and two deuterated lateral blocks in a matrix of deuterated homopolymers is considered in detail. The theoretical predictions of the RPA are compared with the experimental data obtained by elastic neutron scattering experiments using mixtures of deuterated poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymers and copolymers made of three blocks of approximately equal sizes. The lateral blocks are deuterated poly(dimethylsiloxane) and the central one is an ordinary poly(dimethylsiloxane). A good agreement is found in the whole range of wavevectors covered by the experiments. An extension of the RPA to the analysis of the dynamical scattering data for the same systems is put forward. It is shown how the time relaxations of the bare response functions obtained from the single chain dynamics are used to extract the intermediate scattering function characterizing the system of interacting chains. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Sorption properties of activated carbons obtained from corn cobs by chemical and physical activation

The paper presents results of a study on obtaining activated carbon from common corn cobs and on its use as adsorbent for removal of pollution from liquid and gas phases. The crushed precursor was subjected to pyrolysis at 500 and 800?°C in argon atmosphere and next to physical or chemical activation by CO₂ and KOH respectively. The effect of pyrolysis conditions and activation method on the physicochemical properties of the materials obtained was tested. The sorption properties of the carbonaceous adsorbents obtained were characterized by determination of nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide sorption from gas stream in dry and wet conditions as well as by iodine and methylene blue removal from aqueous solution. The final products were microporous activated carbons of well-developed surface area varying from 337 to 1213 m²/g and showing diverse acid-base character of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that a suitable choice of the activation procedure for corn cobs permits production of cheap adsorbents with high sorption capacity toward toxic gases of acidic character as well as different pollutants from liquid phase.     

Glycopolymers obtained by chemical modification of well‐defined block copolymers

Well‐defined di and triblock copolymers based on 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, HEMA, and n‐butyl acrylate, BA, have been synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization, ATRP. Two copolymers have been selected to prepare glycopolymers containing D ‐(+)‐glucosamine or N‐(4‐aminobutyl)‐D ‐gluconamide, NABG, by chemical modification of HEMA units. The chemical modification occurs by activation of the hydroxyl groups of the HEMA units with highly reactive p‐nitrophenyl carbonate groups. The block copolymers structure and self‐assembly have been comprehensively studied in solid state and in solution by differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The resulting glycopolymers obtained upon chemical modification turned out to be water soluble. Therefore, their carbohydrate‐lectin interactions of have been analyzed by turbidimetry measurements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Graft copolymers obtained by radiation grafting of methacrylic acid onto polypropylene films

Direct radiation grafting of methacrylic acid (MAA) onto polypropylene films (PP) was studied. The effect of different solvents such as benzene, distilled water, dimethyl formamide, isopropanol, isopropanol/water-mixture, on the swelling and the grafting process of MAA onto (PP) films was investigated. It was found that the grafting process was enhanced under vacuum irradiation in benzene as a diluent for MAA as compared with other solvents examined. The dependence of the grafting rate on such monomer concentrations was found to be 1.2 order. The relationship between the grafting rate and film thickness gave a negative first order dependence. This grafting system proceeded by a diffusion controlled process. Some selected properties of the grafted films such as mechanical and electrical properties, swelling behaviour, and gel determination, were also investigated.     

Nanoporous materials with spherical and gyroid cavities created by quantitative etching of polydimethylsiloxane in polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers

A new method for quantitative etching of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) block in polystyrene-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS-PDMS) block copolymers is reported. Reacting the block copolymer with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride renders a nanoporous material (NPM) with the remaining glassy PS maintaining the original bulk morphology. 1H NMR, mass difference, size exclusion chromatography, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the materials before and after etching. NPMs containing spherical and gyroid cavities were prepared, as ascertained by small-angle X-ray scattering. This is the first report on block copolymer-based NPM films of millimeter thickness containing secluded spherical holes. Surface images by AFM and SEM are consistent with the SAXS findings.     

The stereoregularity of polystyrenes obtained by different ion pairs of polystyryl alkali salts

The stereoregularity of polystyrenes obtained with sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium naphthalenes in various solvents was determined by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Polystyrenes produced by contact ion pairs of polystyryl cesium in dioxane and tetrahydrofuran (THF) had the proportions of a 57–58% racemic dyad (P_r), whereas the P_r values increased to 65 and 69% by solvating Cs⁺ counterions in dimethoxyethane and by agent-separating them with crown ether, respectively. Polystyrene obtained by contact ion pairs of polystyryl sodium in dioxane showed a P_r of 66%; polymers produced by solvent-separated ion pairs of polystyryl sodium in THF at ?78°C had a P_r of 71%. A polymerization system which contained alkali counterions with large ionic radii and solvents with low dielectric constants in which only contact ion pairs existed produced polystyrenes with isotactic-rich configurations. The stereoregularity of polystyrene produced by contact ion pairs of polystyryl potassium and rubidium in tetrahydropyran (THP) occurred intermediately between that of polymers obtained in diethyl ether and THF. It was concluded that the stereoregulation of contact ion pairs may be closely related to the interionic distance of the ion pair.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of polyalkylindoles obtained by transformations of 3-nitropyridenium salts

Data are correlated on the ¹E and ¹³C NMR spectra of a representative series of polyalkylindoles obtained by the reaction of alkyl-substituted 3-nitropyridinium salts with ketimines. It has been shown that the use of a combined approach to the interpretation of the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra enables reliable information to be obtained on the structure of these previously unknown indole derivatives. The long range ¹³C-H coupling constants give particularly valuable information. A reliable demonstration of the structure of the reaction products is the basis for establishing the route of the indolization.Dedicated to Professor A. R. Katritzky on his 65th birthday.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 7, pp. 899–906, July, 1993.     

Nanostructured ultrathin films obtained by the spreading of diblock copolymers on a surface

We propose a theory of nanopattern formation in ultrathin films obtained by the spreading of A-B diblock copolymers on a surface. A blocks are strongly adsorbed (spread) on the substrate, and the strength of the adsorption can be varied. B blocks are incompatible with the substrate, but they can spread atop the layer of the A blocks. We predict disk-shaped micelles ordered with hexagonal symmetry and parallel stripe-shaped micelles and bilayers to be stable. The type of resulting structure and its geometrical parameters depend on the composition of the copolymer and interaction parameters. We interrelate these results with those obtained for the case of the spreading of both blocks on the substrate, and we construct a unified phase diagram.