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Graphitization-induced microstructural changes in tetrahydrofuran-derived pyrolytic carbon spheres

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Bin Zhang,
Shuo Bai,
Hui-Ming Cheng and
Qing-Kui Cai
Bin Zhang
Affiliation:
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People’s Republic of China; and School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, People’s Republic of China
Shuo Bai
Affiliation:
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People’s Republic of China
Hui-Ming Cheng*
Affiliation:
Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People’s Republic of China
Qing-Kui Cai
Affiliation:
School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, People’s Republic of China
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: cheng@imr.ac.cn
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Abstract

This article is a study of monodispersed, submeter-sized solid carbon spheres having smooth surfaces and almost perfectly round shapes. These spheres were synthesized by pyrolysis of tetrahydrofuran in the absence of a catalyst. Microstructures of carbon spheres before and after graphitization were systematically investigated using electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and x-ray diffraction. The sphere is believed to consist of an underdeveloped spiral-shell core and a surface with discrete fragments of concentrically arranged graphene layers. Under lower temperature heat treatment, the underdeveloped spiral-shell structure changes to a well-developed spiral-shell structure. After graphitization, the spiral-shell core is shown to transform into continuous and closed polyhedral secondary shells, whereas the exterior discrete fragments of graphene sheets transform into discontinuous polyhedral surface shells. The mechanisms of these microstructural changes are discussed.

Keywords

CMicrostructurePyrolysis

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Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 9 , September 2006, pp. 2198 - 2203
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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