Carbon formation promoted by hydrogen peroxide in supercritical water

A limited use of hydrogen peroxide in supercritical water has produced graphitic carbons from hydrocarbons at the low temperature of 400 °C. The choice of precursor hydrocarbons leads to morphological and microstructural variations. The use of n-hexane has provided chain-like interlinked nanoparticles comprised of graphitic layers, while benzene has been converted to a fine spherical shape of colloidal carbons with sub-micron size. The microstructure of the colloidal carbons is comprised of smaller aromatic clusters than the hexane-derived graphitic layers. Furthermore, the graphitization of the colloidal carbons at 2300 °C has induced not closed shell-like graphitic layers with concentric arrangement but ribbon-like graphitic layers growing in no particular direction. The arbitrary direction of the graphitization demonstrates the smallness of the aromatic clusters allowing for their flexible rearrangement.