Effects of Chemical Curing on the Properties of Wood-based Precursors and Activated Carbon Microspheres

Abstract

Wood-based precursors and activated carbon microspheres were prepared through chemical curing and activation. The effects of the hydrochloric acid concentration on the thermal stability of the precursors and pore structures of the wood-based activated carbon microspheres were studied by thermo-gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and analysis of the specific surface area and pore structure. The results showed that the reaction between the carbocations and benzene rings contributed to an increase in the methylene bonds, which reinforced the cross-linking degree and thermal stability of the wood-based cured microspheres. After activation, a typical microporous structure and part of an irregular mesoporous structure were formed in the wood-based activated carbon microspheres. The specific surface area, micropore volume, and mesopore volume increased, reaching maximum values of 1551 m2/g, 0.506 cm3/g, and 0.246 cm3/g at 4 mol/L hydrochloric acid, respectively, and then decreased as the hydrochloric acid concentration increased. The pore size distributions of the micropore and mesopore areas were in the range of 0.5 nm to 1.4 nm and 2 nm to 10 nm, respectively.