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Influence of high-temperature treatment of granular activated carbon on its structure and electrochemical behavior in aqueous electrolyte solution

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Abstract

Activated carbon Norit R3-ex (demineralized) was annealed at various temperatures (950-2700 °C) in an argon atmosphere. The changes of the porosity of the products were characterized on the basis of N2 adsorption isotherms (at 77 K). The texture of the samples was investigated by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The presence of surface oxygen (Fourier transform infrared) and its content in the surface layer (from energy dispersive spectroscopy) were determined. The electrical resistivity of powdered samples was measured. Cyclovoltammetry of carbon (powdered electrodes) were carried out and the electrical double-layer capacitances were estimated from the cyclic voltammetry curves. Heat treatment increased the degree of crystallization of the samples, which was correlated with changes in their conductivity. A rapid drop in porosity (at 1800-2100 °C) took place in parallel with a decrease in the electrical double layer capacity. The presence of surface oxygen as a result of oxygen chemisorption on freshly annealed carbon samples was confirmed using several methods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100, Toruń, Poland

    Stanisław Biniak

  2. Naval University of Gdynia, 81-103, Gdynia, Poland

    Maciej Pakuła

  3. Military University of Technology, 00−908, Warsaw, Poland

    Andrzej Świątkowski

  4. Warsaw University, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland

    Michał Bystrzejewski

  5. University of Mining and Metallurgy, 30-059, Cracow, Poland

    Stanisław Błażewicz

Authors
  1. Stanisław Biniak
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  2. Maciej Pakuła
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  3. Andrzej Świątkowski
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  4. Michał Bystrzejewski
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  5. Stanisław Błażewicz
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Correspondence to Stanisław Biniak.

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Biniak, S., Pakuła, M., Świątkowski, A. et al. Influence of high-temperature treatment of granular activated carbon on its structure and electrochemical behavior in aqueous electrolyte solution. Journal of Materials Research 25, 1617–1628 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0207

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2010.0207

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