ON THE USE OF CALORIMETRIC TECHNIQUES FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CARBONS - A BRIEF REVIEW

In this paper, the use of calorimetric techniques to characterize diff erent carbon materials is reviewed. The focus of the review is on the use of calorimetric techniques to assess chemical properties of carbon s (e.g. nature of surface groups, hydrophobic/hydrophilic character, a cidic/basic behavior, etc.), and a small section is dedicated to the a pplication of calorimetry in determining the physical properties of ca rbons (e.g. surface areas, pore size distribution, etc.). The followin g techniques are described: immersion and flow-adsorption calorimetry and gas-adsorption microcalorimetry. Several representative examples o f the use of calorimetry techniques to evaluate both physical and chem ical properties are presented. It is demonstrated that calorimetry has provided unique insights into the structure and chemistry of active s ites on the surface of various carbons. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.