Studies on thermal decomposition of electrochemically oxidized glass-like carbon

Glass-like carbon (GC) tiles were electrochemically oxidized in 1 mol·dm^?3 H₂SO₄ solution at a potential of 2.3 V/SCE. The surfaces of the oxidized samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The solid oxidation products were studied by derivatographic (TG, DTG and DTA) and elemental analyses. The solid products of electrochemical oxidation of GC, with the general formula C₈O_4.2H_2.3 were thermolabile and revealed properties similar to those of graphite oxide. They are hydrophylic and their thermal decomposition proceeds in three steps: (i) evaporation of-chemisorbed water (320–400 K), (ii) exothermic decomposition of graphite oxide (370–430 K), and (iii) gradual decomposition of the oxidation products (>430 K).