Semi-quantitative analysis of the structural evolution of mesophase pitch-based carbon foams by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy

Graphitized carbon foams(GFms)were prepared using mesophase pitch(MP)as a raw material by foaming(450℃),pre-oxidation(320℃),carbonization(1000℃)and graphitization(2800℃).The differences in structure and properties of GFms prepared from different MP precursors pretreated by ball milling or liquid phase extraction were investigated and compared,and semi-quantitative calculations were conducted on the Raman and FTIR spectra of samples at each preparation stage.Semi-quantitat-ive spectroscopic analysis provided detailed information on the structure and chemical composition changes of the MP and GFm de-rived from it.Combined with microscopic observations,the change from precursor to GFm was analyzed.The results showed that ball milling concentrated the distribution of aromatic molecules in the pitch,which contributed to uniform foaming to give a GFm with a uniform pore distribution and good properties.Liquid phase extraction helped remove light components while retaining large aromatics to form graphitic planes with the largest average size during post-treatment to produce a GFm with the highest degree of graphitization and the fewest open pores,giving the best compression resistance(2.47 MPa),the highest thermal conductivity(64.47 W/(m·K))and the lowest electrical resistance(13.02μΩ·m).Characterization combining semi-quantitative spectroscopic ana-lysis with microscopic observations allowed us to control the preparation of the MP-derived GFms.

Ultralight pyrolytic carbon foam reinforced with amorphous carbon nanotubes for broadband electromagnetic absorption

For electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials,maximizing absorption at a specific frequency has been constantly achieved,but enhancing the absorption properties in the entire band remains a challenge.In this work,a 3D porous pyrolytic carbon(PyC)foam matrix was synthesized by a template method.Amorphous carbon nanotubes(CNTs)were then in-situ grown on the matrix surface to obtain ultralight CNTs/Py C foam.These in-situ grown amorphous CNTs were distributed uniformly and controlled by the catalytic growth time and can enhance the interface polarization and conduction loss of composites.When the electromagnetic wave enters the internal holes,the electromagnetic energy can be completely attenuated under the combined action of polarization,conductivity loss,and multiple reflections.The ultralight CNTs/Py C foam had a density of 22.0 mg·cm^(-3)and a reflection coefficient lower than-13.3 d B in the whole X-band(8.2-12.4 GHz),which is better than the conventional standard of effective absorption bandwidth(≤-10 dB).The results provide ideas for researching ultralight and strong electromagnetic wave absorbing materials in the X-band.

Layered Structural PBAT Composite Foams for Efficient Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

The utilization of eco-friendly,lightweight,high-efficiency and high-absorbing electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding composites is imperative in light of the worldwide promotion of sustainable manufacturing.In this work,magnetic poly(butyleneadipate-coterephthalate)(PBAT)microspheres were firstly synthesized via phase separation method,then PBAT composite foams with layered structure was constructed through the supercritical carbon dioxide foaming and scraping techniques.The merits of integrating ferroferric oxideloaded multi-walled carbon nanotubes(Fe3O4@MWCNTs)nanoparticles,a microcellular framework,and a highly conductive silver layer have been judiciously orchestrated within this distinctive layered configuration.Microwaves are consumed throughout the process of“absorption-reflection-reabsorption”as much as possible,which greatly declines the secondary radiation pollution.The biodegradable PBAT composite foams achieved an EMI shielding effectiveness of up to 68 dB and an absorptivity of 77%,and authenticated favorable stabilization after the tape adhesion experiment.

Dual template approach for the synthesis of hierarchically mesocellular carbon foams

We demonstrated a simple and effective dual-templating approach for the synthesis of hierarchically mesocellular carbon foams by using nonionic surfactant of sorbitan monooleate and silica colloid particles as sacrificial templates, and resorcinol/ formaldehyde as carbon source. The representative carbon foam has dual mesopore sizes of 4 and 10 nm, and possesses the specific surface area of 580 m^2/g and the total pore volume of 0.80 cm^3/g.

An Equivalent Substitute Strategy for Constructing 3D Ordered Porous Carbon Foams and Their Electromagnetic Attenuation Mechanism

Three-dimensional(3D)ordered porous carbon is generally believed to be a promising electromagnetic wave(EMW)absorbing material.However,most research works targeted performance improvement of 3D ordered porous carbon,and the specific attenuation mechanism is still ambiguous.Therefore,in this work,a novel ultra-light egg-derived porous carbon foam(EDCF)structure has been successfully constructed by a simple carbonization combined with the silica microsphere template-etching process.Based on an equivalent substitute strategy,the influence of pore volume and specific surface area on the electromagnetic parameters and EMW absorption properties of the EDCF products was confirmed respectively by adjusting the addition content and diameter of silica microspheres.As a primary attenuation mode,the dielectric loss originates from the comprehensive effect of conduction loss and polarization loss in S-band and C band,and the value is dominated by polarization loss in X band and Ku band,which is obviously greater than that of conduction loss.Furthermore,in all samples,the largest effective absorption bandwidth of EDCF-3 is 7.12 GHz under the thickness of 2.13 mm with the filling content of approximately 5 wt%,covering the whole Ku band.Meanwhile,the EDCF-7 sample with optimized pore volume and specific surface area achieves minimum reflection loss(RL_(min))of−58.08 dB at 16.86 GHz while the thickness is 1.27 mm.The outstanding research results not only provide a novel insight into enhancement of EMW absorption properties but also clarify the dominant dissipation mechanism for the porous carbon-based absorber from the perspective of objective experiments.

Nitrogen-rich hierarchically porous carbon foams as high-performance electrodes for lithium-based dual-ion capacitor

Nitrogen-rich porous carbonaceous materials have shown great potential in energy storage and conversion applications due to their facile fabrication,high electronic conductivity,and improved hydrophilic property.Herein,three-dimensional porous N-rich carbon foams are fabricated through a one-step carbonization-activation method of the commercial melamine foam,and displaying hierarchically porous structure(macro-,meso-,and micro-pores),large surface area(1686.5 m2 g^-1),high N-containing level(3.3 at%),and excellent compressibility.The as-prepared carbon foams as electrodes for quasi-solid-state supercapacitors exhibit enhanced energy storage ability with 210 F g^-1 and 2.48c at 0.1 A g^-1,and150 F g^-1 and 1.77 F cm^-2 at 1 A g^-1,respectively.Moreover,as an electrode for lithium-based dual-ion capacitor,this distinctive porous carbon also delivers remarkable specific capacitance with 143.6 F g^-1 at0.1 A g^-1 and 116.2 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1.The simple preparation method and the fascinating electrochemical performance endow the N-rich porous carbon foams great prospects as high-performance electrodes for electrochemical energy storage.

Self-Floating Efficient Solar Steam Generators Constructed Using Super-Hydrophilic N,O Dual-Doped Carbon Foams from Waste Polyester

Solar evaporation is recognized as a prospective technique to produce freshwater from non-drinkable water using inexhaustible solar energy.However,it remains a challenge to fabricate low-cost solar evaporators with obviously reduced water evaporation enthalpy to achieve high evaporation rates.Herein,N,O dual-doped carbon foam(NCF)is fabricated from the lowtemperature carbonization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)waste by melamine/molten salts at 340℃.During carbonization,melamine reacts with carboxylic acids of PET degradation products to yield a crosslinking network,and then molten salts catalyze the decarboxylation and dehydration to construct a stable framework.Owing to rich N,O-containing groups,3D interconnected pores,super-hydrophilicity,and ultra-low thermal conductivity(0.0599 W m^(−1) K^(−1)),NCF not only achieves high light absorbance(ca.99%)and solar-to-thermal conversion,but also promotes the formation of water cluster to reduce water evaporation enthalpy by ca.37%.Consequently,NCF exhibits a high evaporation rate(2.4 kg m^(−2) h^(−1)),surpassing the-state-of-the-art solar evaporators,and presents good antiacid/basic abilities,long-term salt-resistance,and self-cleaning ability.Importantly,a large-scale NCF-based outdoor solar desalination device is developed to produce freshwater.The daily freshwater production amount per unit area(6.3 kg)meets the two adults’daily water consumption.The trash-to-treasure strategy will give impetus to the development of low-cost,advanced solar evaporators from waste plastics for addressing the global freshwater shortage.

Carbon foams prepared from coal tar pitch for building thermal insulation material with low cost

A new approach is provided to resolve the large-scale applications of coal tar pitch. Carbon foams with uniform pore size are prepared at the foaming pressure of normal pressure using coal tar pitch as raw materials. The physical and chemical performance of high softening point pitch(HSPP) can be regulated by vacuumizing owing to the cooperation of vacuumizing and polycondensation. Results indicate that the optimum softening point and weight ratio of quinoline insoluble are about 292℃ and 65.7%, respectively. And the optimum viscosity of HSPP during the foaming process is distributed in the range of 1000-10000 Pa·s. The resultant carbon foam exhibits excellent performance, such as uniform pore structure, high compressive strength(4.7 MPa), low thermal conductivity(0.07 W·m^(-1) ·K^(-1)), specially, it cannot be fired under the high temperature of 1200 ℃.Thus, this kind of carbon foam is a potential candidate for thermal insulation material applied in energy saving building.

Preparation and modulation of a novel thin-walled carbon foam

By foaming and carbonization processes under atmospheric pressure, a novel thin-walled carbon foam with developed foam structure was successfully prepared from loose medium component(LMC) separated from raw coal by extraction and back-extraction method. The influences of foaming time, carbonization time, and micromolecule content on foam structure were investigated by scanning electron microscope and mercury injection data. Moreover, foaming mechanism of LMC was analyzed and expounded. The results showed that spherical pores and uniform ultrathin pore walls constitute threedimensional foam structure of carbon foam and foam structure is developed with well connectivity.The effects of foaming time, carbonization time, and micromolecule content on foam structure are significant. Especially, average pore diameters of carbon foams prepared from the extracts of LMC are much smaller. With the rise of extraction rate, average pore diameter decreases and pore size distribution is more concentrated on the aperture section of 0–10 μm.

Carbon foam with microporous structure for high performance symmetric potassium dual-ion capacitor

A novel carbon foam with microporous structure(CFMS),with the advantages of a simple fabrication process,low energy consumption,large specific surface area and high conductivity,has been prepared by a facile one-step carbonization.In addition,the carbon foam possesses suitable interlayer spacing in short range which is flexible to accommodate the deformation of carbon layer caused by the ion insertion and deinsertion at the charge and discharge state.Furthermore,a low cost carbon-based symmetric potassium dual-ion capacitor(PDIC),which integrates the virtues of potassium ion capacitors and dual-ion batteries,is successfully established with CFMS as both the battery-type cathode and the capacitor-type anode.PDIC displays a superior rate performance,an ultra-long cycle life(90%retention after 10000 cycles),and a high power density of 7800 W kg^-1 at an energy density of 39Whkg^-1.The PDIC also exhibits excellent ultrafast charge and slow discharge properties,with a full charge in just 60 s and a discharge time of more than 3000 s.

Preparation and Morphological Study of Coal-tar-based Carbon Foam

为制作煤焦油沥青的一个新奇过程发源碳泡沫被介绍。煤焦油基于 mesophase 沥青被红外线的光谱和宽角度 X 光检查衍射描绘。扫描电子显微镜被用于碳泡沫的词法学习。结果证明沥青与 300 的毛孔起泡沫 - 500 m 和 0.2 的低密度 - 0.5 g/cm-3 能成功地被制作并且进一步使碳化并且获得新奇的碳泡沫的 graphtized。

Effect of Ultrasonication on the Properties of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes/Hollow Glass Microspheres/Epoxy Syntactic Foam

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes（MWCNTs） reinforced hollow glass microspheres（HGMs）/epoxy syntactic foam was fabricated. The effects of ultrasonication on the density, compression strength, and water absorption properties were studied. Better dispersed MWCNTs can be obtained after ultrasonication treatment, but an increasing viscosity will lead to a larger amount of voids during syntactic foam preparation especially when the content of HGMs is more than 70 vol%. The existing voids will decrease the density of epoxy syntactic foam. However, the ultrasonication does not change the compression strength much. Ultrasonication treatment will decrease the water absorption content due to the better dispersion and hydrophobic properties of MWCNTs. But a significant increase of water absorption content occurs when HGMs is more than 70 vol%, which is attributed to the higher viscosity and larger amount of voids.

Carbon Foam Anode Modified by Urea and Its Higher Electrochemical Performance in Marine Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell

Electrode materials have an important effect on the property of microbial fuel cell(MFC). Carbon foam is utilized as an anode and further modified by urea to improve its performance in marine benthic microbial fuel cell(BMFC) with higher voltage and output power. The electrochemical properties of plain carbon foam(PC) and urea-modified carbon foam(UC) are measured respectively. Results show that the UC obtains better wettability after its modification and higher anti-polarization ability than the PC. A novel phenomenon has been found that the electrical potential of the modified UC anode is nearly 100 m V lower than that of the PC, reaching-570 ±10 m V(vs. SCE), and that it also has a much higher electron transfer kinetic activity, reaching 9399.4 m W m-2, which is 566.2-fold higher than that from plain graphite anode(PG). The fuel cell containing the UC anode has the maximum power density(256.0 m W m-2) among the three different BMFCs. Urea would enhance the bacteria biofilm formation with a more diverse microbial community and maintain more electrons, leading to a lower anodic redox potential and higher power output. The paper primarily analyzes why the electrical potential of the modified anode becomes much lower than that of others after urea modification. These results can be utilized to construct a novel BMFC with higher output power and to design the conditioner of voltage booster with a higher conversion ratio. Finally, the carbon foam with a bigger pore size would be a potential anodic material in conventional MFC.

Bonding effect of liquid magnesium with open-celled carbon foam in interpenetrating phase composite

The issue of bonding formation in liquid metal/open-celled carbon foam(C_(of))systems was examined,taking into account the practical aspects of the synthesis of a new type of Mg-C metal material composite.The problem is complex due to the strong oxidation and intense evaporation of liquid magnesium,as well as the 3D geometry of the carbon component,where metal transport occurred through the foam cells’windows.Laboratory experiments performed at 700℃ in ceramic crucibles showed that spontaneous carbon foam infiltration by liquid metal is impossible under the applied conditions,either in an air atmosphere coupled with flux protection or under argon protection.Comparative tests performed in a UHV chamber filled with static pure Ar by a sessile drop method,coupled with non-contact heating and capillary purification at a test temperature of 700℃ directly in the UHV chamber,showed non-wetting behavior of the Mg/C_(of)couple with a correspondingly high contact angle of about 135°.The graphite capillary was then moved down,the liquid drop being slightly pressed into the foam,but these changes did not induce effective foam penetration.Despite the short contact time for the sessile drop test under an argon atmosphere,SEM+WDS analysis of the solidified Mg/C_(of)couple revealed the formation of an MgO interlayer at the interface,with a thickness of approx.1μm.The experimentally demonstrated presence of oxygen in the carbon foam sample,both before and after its contact with magnesium,points to oxide-type bonding being established between Mg and C_(of).This observation is in a good agreement with previous reports on the interface characterization of magnesium matrix composites reinforced with glassy carbon materials and carbon fibers by stir casting and pressure infiltration.Based on the findings of this study,a general structural scheme of the bonding process between carbon foam and liquid magnesium,as an important stage in the syntheses of Mg-C composites,was proposed.

Foaming Behavior in Molten Slag Caused by Decomposition of Carbonate Minerals

The average foam life is proposed as an index to the foaming behavior in molten slag. The molten slag system of Na2B4O7-CaO-MgO is foamed by the gas from the thermal decomposition of carbonate minerals as the foamer. The experimental results show that foamer type and particle size have influence upon the average foam life of slag. The concentration of CaO and MgO in molten slag not only varies the physical properties of melt but also influences directly the decomposition rate of carbonate and the bubble size of gas, thus playing an important role in foaming and to foam stability of slag.

Mitigation of Human Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields Using Carbon Foam and Carbon Nanotubes

In recent years there has been increasing concern about the possible consequences on human health from exposure to RF fields produced by wireless telecommunication technologies. In this work the coupling between carbon foam and composite materials made of carbon nanotubes and epoxy-resin allows to build a material able to absorb the electromagnetic field thus reducing its intensity in the environment where the mitigation of electromagnetic field is required. The Frequency range considered is 2 GHz - 3 GHz which is the most common frequency band used in wireless network and microwave oven too. Two different kind of heterogeneous materials are designed, one is a layered radar absorbing material made exclusively of epoxy resin and carbon nanotube in different weight percentage, the others are porous carbon foam where the pores are supposed be filled with carbon nanotubes and epoxy-resin. Both type of materials show interesting absorption properties reaching peak of reflection coefficient between –15 dB and –45 dB for a normally incident plane wave.

Investigation of carbon contamination in lost foam castings of low carbon steel

Lost foam casting(LFC) process is a special casting method in which polymeric foam patterns with refractory coatings are utilized as a mould component. In this work, four types of foam: expandable polyethylene(EPE), expandable polypropylene(EPP) and expandable polystyrene(EPS) foams with two different densities were employed as pattern materials. LFC and conventional green sand mould casting methods were used to cast a low carbon steel, A216 Grade WCB. Both casting processes were carried out at 1,580 °C. Chemical analysis results showed that the carbon contamination level was high and was influenced by pattern type. Metallographic investigations revealed a significant increase in the percentage of pearlite phase in all LFC samples. Densities of manufactured samples were calculated in order to evaluate porosity of the products. It was determined that the densities of the LFC samples were lower than the green sand mould cast reference sample(RS). Vickers hardness tests were also carried out and increments in hardness values with increased carbon content was observed.

Functional Acrylic Polymer as Corrosion Inhibitor of Carbon Steel in Autoclaved Air-Foamed Sodium Silicate-Activated Calcium Aluminate/Class F Fly Ash Cement

The study focused on investigating the effectiveness of functional acrylic polymer (AP) in improving the ability of airfoamed sodium silicate-activated calcium aluminate/Class F fly ash cement (slurry density of ￡1.3 g/cm3) to mitigate the corrosion of carbon steel (CS) after exposure to hydrothermal environment at 200?C or 300?C. Hydrothermally-initiated interactions between the AP and cement generated the formation of Ca-, Al-, or Na-complexed carboxylate derivatives that improved the AP’s hydrothermal stability. A porous microstructure comprising numerous defect-free, evenly distributed, discrete voids formed in the presence of this hydrothermally stable AP, resulting in the increase in compresive strength of cement. The foamed cement with advanced properties conferred by AP greatly protected the CS against brine-caused corrosion. Four major factors governed this protection by AP-incorporated foamed cements: 1) Reducing the extents of infiltration and transportation of corrosive electrolytes through the cement layer deposited on the underlying CS surface;2) Inhibiting the cathodic reactions at the corrosion site of CS;3) Extending the coverage of CS by the cement;and 4) Improving the adherence of the cement to CS surface.

富油煤热解重质焦油基泡沫炭性能研究

【目的】富油煤热解重质焦油制备石墨化泡沫材料是富油煤资源高值化利用的方式之一。【方法】为探究不同反应条件与泡沫炭性能的联系从而制备高性能泡沫炭材料,以重质焦油制备中间相沥青为前驱体,采用高温自发泡法制备泡沫炭。考察不同反应温度、升温速率和反应压力对煤焦油基泡沫炭性能的影响,最后进行Box-Behnken响应面设计实验建立二次多项回归方程,揭示泡沫炭孔隙率、导热系数与反应条件的关系。【结果和结论】结果表明:反应温度、升温速率和反应压力对煤焦油基泡沫炭性能有显著影响。泡沫炭孔隙率的最优值为72.8%,对应的条件为温度559℃、压力0.48 MPa、升温速率9℃/min,影响因素温度>压力>升温速率;泡沫炭导热系数最优值为0.219 W/(m·K),对应的条件为温度549℃、压力2 MPa、升温速率3.9℃/min,影响因素升温速率>压力>温度。经过响应面模型优化后的工艺参数可制备具有良好孔隙率及导热性的泡沫炭材料,为提升富油煤热解效率提供新方案。