Nano structure of low crystallinity carbon materials analyzed by using high energy X-ray diffraction

In this study, we tried to characterize a kind of low crystallinity carbon materials. The structure of polyparaphenylene(PPP)-based carbon was analyzed by means of high energy X-ray diffraction using the apparatus of SPring-8. The experimental results revealed the existence of basic structural units (BSU) in the highly disordered materials like PPP-based carbon. It is thought that the PPP-based carbons consist of small turbostratic particles, which have a few piled up poly-aromatic layers. The structure of the PPP-based carbon which seemed to be amorphous was estimated to have hexagonal carbon layers with the size of up to 1 nm. The pores in the PPP-based carbon seem to be clearances formed among the BSUs and amorphous carbon. The pore size of PPP-based carbon was estimated from the result of N₂ absorption measurement. The experimental results suggested that the lithium ion charge mechanism in the PPP-based carbon differs from that in graphite.