Abstract
A biomorphic carbon template (BCT), which retained its pore morphology, was prepared by carbonising aspen under Ar atmosphere. The effect of carbonisation temperature on chemical composition, the microstructure and the non-isothermal oxidation kinetics and mechanism of BCT were characterised and studied. Experimental results show that the template has a honeycomb interconnected porous network and double peaked porous diameter distribution; it is a typical non-graphitisable carbon. When carbonisation temperature increases from 900 to 1300°C, the C=C, C–O–C and C–H bonds existing in BCT transform into C–C bonds slowly and the transformation finishes at 1300°C. The oxidation reaction of carbon template carbonised at 1300°C begins at 421·5°C, and reaction rate reaches a maximum when temperature is 465·4°C. The oxidation mechanism is random nucleation.