Basic Solutions to Carbon/Carbon Oxidation: Science and Technology

Abstract

Abstract : The goal of this study was to gain a fundamental understanding of the role of boron in carbon oxidation. Boron-doped carbons were synthesized via CVD, ion implantation and high temperature doping are subsequently characterized. It was found that high temperature doped HOPG carbons were ideal for oxidation studies because their surface could be reproduced, their surface structures were determined and they were able to be characterized by XPS, AFM and SEM. The direct analysis of the chemical structures and atomic arrangements in boron-doped carbon or carbon surfaces by these techniques was critical in determining the effect of boron on carbon oxidation. XPS was utilized in this work to determine the local bonding environment of boron in carbon before an after oxidation. It was necessary to obtain an accurate calibration of the B1s binding energy scale which was accomplished by obtaining photoemission spectra of boron-doped carbons with known structures (local boron bonding environments), such as boron oxide, boron carbide, triphenylboroxine, tourmaline, boric acid, danburite and high temperature boron-doped graphite. All of the aforementioned standards contain boron in a unique bonding environment and thus their spectra formulated a complete conversion of B1s binding energies to boron chemical environments which has not been reported in the past. It was clearly established that a chemical shift for substitutional boron in graphite exists at 186.5 eV with a FWHM of 1.2. The chemical structures of the boron in the standards were related to the binding energy using a Pauling charge distribution model and a modification of the Sanderson electronegativity method. This approach was used to determine whether the B1s binding energy would change depending upon the specific location of boron in the graphite or graphite surface.