Crafting and Analyzing Multi-Structured Aramid Materials and Their Pyrolytic Transformations: A Comprehensive Exploration

• Published in: Polymers 2023-11, Vol.15 (21), p.4315
• Main Authors: Trigo-López, Miriam, Miguel, Álvaro, García, José M., Mendía, Aránzazu, Ruiz, Virginia, Valente, Artur J. M., Vallejos, Saúl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Additive manufacturing; Aramid fibers; Carbon; Carbonaceous materials; Catalysis; Cellular structure; Cellulose; Cellulose acetate; Diffraction; Electric properties; Energy storage; Fourier transforms; Heat conductivity; Methods; Photoelectrons; Polyamide resins; Polyamides; Polymers; Pore size; Porosity; Porous materials; Powder metallurgy; Pyramids; Radiation; Raman spectra; Scanning electron microscopy; Solvents; Spectrum analysis; Textiles; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; X ray spectra; X-rays
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym15214315

Gradient porous materials, particularly carbon-based materials, hold immense potential in the fields of batteries, energy storage, electrocatalysis, and sensing, among others, by synergistically combining the attributes associated with each pore size within a unified structural framework. In this study, we developed a gradient porous aramid (GP-Aramid) by incorporating cellulose acetate as a porosity promoter in the polymer casting solution in different proportions. These GP-Aramids were subsequently transformed into their pyrolyzed counterparts (GP-Pyramids), retaining their original structures while displaying diverse cellular or dense microstructures inherited from the parent aramid, as confirmed via scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction spectra provided evidence of the conversion of aramids into carbonaceous materials. The materials showed structural defects observed through the intensity ratio of the G and D bands (ID/IG = 1.05) in the Raman spectra, while X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) revealed that the carbonization process yielded pyrolyzed carbon materials unusually rich in nitrogen (6%), oxygen (20%), and carbon (72%), which is especially relevant for catalysis applications. The pyrolyzed materials showed bulk resistivities from 5.3 ± 0.3 to 34.2 ± 0.6 depending on the meta- or para-orientation of the aramid and the porous structure. This work contributes to understanding these gradient porous aromatic polyamides’ broader significance and potential applications in various fields.