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Catalytic graphitization of three-dimensional wood-derived porous scaffolds

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Abstract

A catalytic technique to enhance graphite formation in nongraphitizing carbons was adapted to work with three-dimensional wood-derived scaffolds. Unlike many synthetic graphite precursors, wood and other cellulosic carbons remain largely disordered after high temperature pyrolysis. Using a nickel nitrate liquid catalyst and controlled pyrolysis conditions, wood-derived scaffolds were produced showing similar graphitic content to traditional pitch-based graphite while retaining the high-aspect ratio pores of the precursor wood micro structure. Graphite formation was studied as a function of processing time and pyrolysis temperature, and the resulting carbons were analyzed using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy techniques.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the National Science Foundation (DMR-0710630). The SEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy work was performed in the EPIC and Keck-II facilities of NUANCE Center at Northwestern University. NUANCE Center is supported by NSF-NSEC, NSF-MRSEC, the Keck Foundation, the State of Illinois, and Northwestern University. This work made use of the J.B. Cohen X-ray Diffraction Facility supported by the MRSEC program of the National Science Foundation (DMR-0520513) at the Materials Research Center of Northwestern University.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 60208-3108, USA

    M. T. Johnson & K. T. Faber

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  1. M. T. Johnson
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  2. K. T. Faber
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Correspondence to K. T. Faber.

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Johnson, M.T., Faber, K.T. Catalytic graphitization of three-dimensional wood-derived porous scaffolds. Journal of Materials Research 26, 18–25 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.88

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