STUDIES ON CHANGES IN MORPHOLOGY DURING CARBONIZATION AND ACTIVATION OF PRETREATED VISCOSE RAYON FABRICS

Structural development during the carbonization and activation of pret reated viscose rayon fabrics in a carbon dioxide atmosphere at tempera tures upto 900 degrees C were followed using wide angle X-ray diffract ion, elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniq ues. Porosity developments were also studied simultaneously. It is sho wn by X-ray results that the formation of turbostratic structure takes place at high temperature treatments (HTTS) of 900 degrees C, which a lso coincides with the development of measurable porosity. Higher conc entrations of inorganic chemicals in viscose rayon precursors are show n to affect the carbonization yield and porosity as well as the struct ure development. SEM results show that overactivation results in disin tegration of the fabric structure. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.