Catalytic role of high pressure in the graphitization of amorphous carbon

Abstract

To accelerate the graphitization transformation efficiency, reduce the transformation threshold of graphitization, and explore the transformation process and catalytic mechanism of amorphous carbon structure under high pressure, we performed rapid graphitization of amorphous carbon materials by a high temperature-high pressure synergistic preparation method. The results show that the high pressure intervention can accelerate the graphitization transformation progress of amorphous carbon materials and reduce the graphitization transition temperature threshold. Especially at 2.8 GPa–1300 °C, the graphitization transformation rate is significantly increased, and the catalytic effect of high pressure is remarkable. The graphitization effect of this method is close to that of the conventional graphitization method at 3000 °C. The high temperature and high pressure synergistic effect reduces the graphitization temperature requirement by 56%, 1 MPa can compensate for the energy loss of 2.15 °C, and the preparation time is substantially reduced. Meanwhile, We summarize the important stages of initial lattice construction, microcrystal growth, and rapid formation of graphitic lattice in the transformation of disordered lattice under the synergistic effect of high temperature and high pressure, clearly showing the different evolutionary features in the process of structural transformation.