Structural and morphological transformation of pyrolysis Carbon during activation

   Purpose. Comprehensive study of the effect of the activation process on the morphological, structural, and elemental characteristics of technical Carbon in order to create functional carbon-containing materials with specified properties.

   Methods. Surface morphology and dispersity were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (JEOL 6610LV, secondary electron detector, 20 kV, magnification up to ×100,000). Local elemental composition was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (Oxford Instruments) with element mapping. Confocal laser microscopy (OmegaScope AIST-NT, resolution up to 300 nm) was used to analyze particle shape, size, and aggregation. Crystallochemical analysis was carried out by the method of rethgenophase analysis of X-ray diffraction (EMMA, CuKα, λ = 1.5406 Å, 2θ range = 10 – 80°). Structural defects and functional groups were identified by the method of Raman scattering spectroscopy (laser λ = 532 nm, spectral resolution 3 cm^-1).

   Results. It has been established that the activation process leads to a significant transformation of the technical Carbon structure. There is a decrease in the average particle size from ~3 μm for pyrolytic Carbon to ~2 μm for the activated form, accompanied by a decrease in the polydispersity coefficient from 1.2 to 0.3, which indicates a narrowing of the particle size distribution. The activation process ensures the uniform incorporation of silicon into the Carbon matrix, reaching a concentration of up to 3.2 at. %, resulting in the formation of a homogeneous Carbon-silica nanocomposite
structure. At the same time, the Carbon component is structurally ordered, reaching the parameters characteristic of graphite with d₀₀₂ = 0.3354 nm.

   Conclusion. Activation of technical carbon allows for the purposeful formation of ordered Carbon-silica nanocomposites with a developed surface and controlled defectiveness, which are promising for use in sorption processes and catalysis.

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