D. Ila et al., A STUDY OF THE THERMALLY-INDUCED CARBONIZATION OF PHENOLFORMALDEHYDE BY COMBINED ION-BEAM AND SURFACE SPECIFIC ANALYSES, Vacuum, 45(4), 1994, pp. 451-454
Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Raman microprobe spectro
scopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) have been
used to study thermally induced structural changes in phenolformaldeh
yde resin. Resin samples were heat treated in an inert gas environment
at temperatures ranging from 200 to 2500-degrees-C. Results obtained
from RBS spectra showed that the content of oxygen and other gaseous p
roducts of carbonization is reduced at higher heat treatment temperatu
res (HTT), which is in agreement with ESCA results. Raman microprobe s
pectroscopy clearly indicates that a key step in the carbonization pro
cess occurs between 500 and 575-degrees-C. The concentration ratios of
various constituents to carbon were used as a complementary tool to t
he results obtained by ESCA to clarify the processes of thermally indu
ced purification.