MICROPORE STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN POLY(SODIUM-4-STYRENE-SULFONATE) DERIVED CARBONS

Microporous carbons characterized by different structural properties w ere prepared by carbonization of poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) in a nitrogen flow at temperatures in the range of 500-850 degrees C. The c arbonization process and the microstructural characteristics of the ca rbonaceous materials obtained have been studied by differential therma l analysis (DTA); diffuse reflectance FT-IR spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography at infinite dilution (IGC), and sorption experiments. T he temperature controlled carbonization of poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfon ate) leads, in one step, to formation of microporous carbons without u sing additional activation procedures. The pore sizes of the materials obtained were limited to the range of 0.38-0.6 nm, with wider, and th us more heterogeneous, micropore size distributions at higher temperat ure of heat treatment. The conclusions obtained are derived from adsor ption studies of methane under conditions when monolayer adsorption is dominant and thus direct information of adsorbate/adsorbent interacti ons as a function of microstructural changes during carbonization can be revealed. Consistency is found with data from the other techniques employed.