Obtaining N-Enriched Mesoporous Carbon-Based by Means of Gamma Radiation

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-09, Vol.12 (18), p.3156
• Main Authors: Kamedulski, Piotr, Skorupska, Malgorzata, Koter, Izabela, Lewandowski, Maciej, Abdelkader-Fernández, Víctor Karim, Lukaszewicz, Jerzy P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Ammonia; Batteries; Black carbon; Carbon; Carbon black; carbon materials; Chemical reduction; Electrode materials; Energy storage; Evaluation; Fuel cells; Gamma irradiation; Gamma rays; Graphene; Graphite; heteroatoms; Irradiation; Laboratories; mesoporous activated carbons; Methods; Microscopy; Nitrogen; Nitrogen enrichment; Oxygen reduction reactions; Pore size; Radiation; Raman spectra; Raman spectroscopy; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; γ Radiation
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano12183156

In this paper, we present the results of the gamma irradiation method to obtain N-doped mesoporous activated carbons. Nitrogen-enriched mesoporous carbons were prepared from three chosen commercial activated carbons such as Carbon Black OMCARB C-140, KETJENBLACK EC-600JD and PK 1-3 Norit. HRTEM, SEM, Raman spectra, elemental analysis, XPS studies and widely approved N2 adsorption–desorption measurements allowed us to evaluate the effectiveness of N atom insertion and its influence on the BET surface area and the pore structure of modified carbons. The obtained materials have an exceptionally high N content of up to 3.2 wt.%. Additionally, selected N-doped activated carbons were fully characterized to evaluate their applicability as carbon electrode materials with particular emphasis on Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR). The proposed method is a relatively facile, efficient and universal option that can be added to the already known methods of introducing heteroatoms to different carbons.