Fabrication of novel micro–nano carbonous composites based on self-made hollow activated carbon fibers

• Published in: Applied surface science 2013-01, Vol.265, p.352-357
• Main Authors: Kong, Yuxia, Qiu, Tingting, Qiu, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Activation; Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Chemical vapor deposition; Clusters, nanoparticles, and nanocrystalline materials; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Fibers; Hollow carbon fibers; Materials science; Micro–nano carbonous composites; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Polypropylenes; Scanning electron microscopy; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Template method
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.11.011

[Display omitted] ▸ Hollow pipe and porous HACF with solid carbon net framework structure were successfully prepared by template method. ▸ CNTs were grown successfully on the self-made HACF substrate by CVD techniques. ▸ A novel tree-like micro-nano carbonous structure CNTs/HACF was fabricated. ▸ The formation mechanism of micro phase HACF and nano phase CNTs were respectively discussed. The hollow activated carbon fibers (HACF) were prepared by using commercial polypropylene hollow fiber (PPHF) as the template, and phenol-formaldehyde resin (PF) as carbon precursors. Final HACF was formed through the thermal decomposition and carbonization of PF at 700°C under the nitrogen atmosphere, and activation at 800°C with carbon dioxide as the activating agent, consecutively. Then, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques using the as-grown porous HACF as substrate. The growth process was achieved by pyrolyzing ethanol steam at 700°C using nickel as catalyst. Finally, CNTs was grown successfully on the substrate, and a novel tree-like micro–nano carbonous structure CNTs/HACF was fabricated. The as-grown HACF and micro–nano CNTs/HACF were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG), respectively. Moreover, the formation mechanisms were also discussed.