1. Structures, physicochemical properties and oxygen reduction activities of carbons derived from ferrocene-poly(furfuryl alcohol) mixtures.
- Author
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Ozaki, Jun-ichi, Nozawa, Kiyomi, Yamada, Kunitaka, Uchiyama, Yoshinori, Yoshimoto, Yoko, Furuichi, Atsuya, Yokoyama, Tomonari, Oya, Asao, Brown, L.J., and Cashion, J.D.
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CARBON , *CARBONIZATION , *FERROCENE , *RAMAN spectroscopy , *TRANSMISSION electron microscopy , *X-ray diffraction - Abstract
The structure, physicochemical properties and oxygen reduction abilities of carbons prepared by the carbonization of mixtures of ferrocene and poly(furfuryl alcohol) were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed that the carbons thus prepared consisted of two components; amorphous and turbostratic shell-like components. The fraction, f sharp, obtained by the analysis of the (002) peak in XRD was found to be a parameter that represented the degree of formation of the shell-like components. The formation of the shell-like components induced an increase in the mesopore volumes. Electrical conductivity increased exponentially with f sharp, which indicated that the conduction process was governed by a percolation process of the conductive shell-like components. The amount of CO-desorption by O2-TPD technique showed a maximum desorption at f sharp=0.3, and the further development in the sharp component led to a decrease in the CO-desorption. Mössbauer spectroscopy technique revealed the presence of α-Fe, γ-Fe, Fe1- x O and Fe3C in the prepared carbons, which were soluble species to acids. The oxygen reduction activity was studied in a oxygen saturated sulfuric acid solution by rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The oxygen reduction potential varied with f sharp; initially it increased by f sharp=0.3 and then it decreased at higher f sharp values. This behavior was similar to that of CO-desorption, which meant the presence of an adequate degree of the development of the shell-like structure for maximizing oxygen adsorption. Removal of the surface metal component from the carbons by acid-washing resulted in no decrease in the oxygen reduction activities of the carbons. The nature of the active sites on the carbon materials is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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