Local structure of nanoporous carbons

Abstract

The local atomic structure of nanoporous carbons produced by pyrolysis of poly(furfuryl alcohol) at various temperatures has been studied using neutron diffraction. Atomic pair distribution functions (PDFs) were obtained from the neutron data. Structure models have been fitted to the PDFs to understand the fine features of atomic ordering. It has been found that carbons produced at 800 and 1200°C are made of stacked graphene sheets, that are more or less curved. The 400°C-processed carbon has a heavily distorted nonplanar structure. For each sample we have determined the extent of the structural coherence, the average density within the structurally coherent regions and the proportion of carbon atoms, which are trigonally coordinated. We have also produced microscopic models for the local structure of the nanoporous carbons investigated.