Ni-catalyzed carbonization of furfuryl alcohol polymer in ordered mesoporous silica MCM-48 giving ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-1 with high electric double-layer capacitance

Abstract

Ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-1 was partially graphitized during carbonization treatment of furfuryl alcohol (FA) polymer inside the ordered mesopores of Ni-loaded MCM-48. FA polymer was successfully produced within the mesopores of MCM-48 by thermal treatment at 90 °C. A typical weight decrease of the FA-polymer/MCM-48 composite occurred from 300 to 400 °C by carbonization treatment. Ni(II) species acts as a catalyst for dehydrogenation from 500 to 640 °C, and then CH4 fragments formed in situ can reduce Ni(II) to Ni(0) at 640 °C. The metallic Ni thus formed can then act as a catalyst for the formation of the graphitic structure within the mesopores of MCM-48 at 1000 °C. The CMK-1 obtained with the aid of the Ni catalyst exhibited a higher electric double-layer capacitance with a tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate/propylene carbonate electrolyte, compared to normal CMK-1. The results suggest that the edge planes of the graphitic domains in CMK-1 are predominantly exposed on the surface of carbonaceous walls, which leads to an increase in the number of adsorptive sites for the electrolyte during the capacitance measurements.