Improvement of the textural properties of templated carbon xerogels using cotton fibres as a hard template dehydrated by sulphuric acid

Abstract

Carbon xerogels have generally low textural properties compared with carbon aerogels and carbon cryogels since the gas-liquid interface produces a capillary force in small pores. In this work, the templated carbon xerogels (TCXs), using resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) and cotton fibres (CFs) as a hard template, were synthesized by CF removal from CF/RF composite hydrogels by sulphuric acid treatment. The TCX precursors were exchanged by t-butanol, dried by evaporation drying, and carbonized at high temperature. Scanning electron microscope images and Hg intrusion data confirm that TCXs possess macropores whose walls are the carbon xerogel scaffold. Their nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms also support that TCXs have micropores and mesopores. The quantities of micropores, mesopores and macropores are improved with the increase of CF utilization. X-ray diffraction allows us to know that TCXs have a graphitic structure. The intensity of D to G from the Raman spectra is also investigated.