1 research outputs found
Redox Route from Inorganic Precursor Li<sub>2</sub>C<sub>2</sub> to Nanopatterned Carbon
We
present the synthesis route to carbon with hierarchical morphology
on the nanoscale. The structures are generated using crystalline orthorhombic
lithium carbide (Li<sub>2</sub>C<sub>2</sub>) as precursor with nanolamellar
organization. Careful treatment by SnI<sub>4</sub> oxidizes carbon
at the fairly low temperature of 80 °C to the elemental state
and keeps intact the initial crystallite shape, the internal lamellar
texture of particles, and the lamellae stacking. The reaction product
is amorphous but displays in the microstructure parallel band-like
arrangements with diameters in the range of 200–500 nm. These
bands exhibit internal fine structure made up by thin strips of about
60 nm width running inclined with respect to the long axis of the
band. The stripes of neighboring columns sometimes meet and give rise
to arrow-like arrangements in the microstructure. This is an alternative
preparation method of nanostructured carbon from an inorganic precursor
by a chemical redox route without applying physical methods such as
ion implantation, printing, or ablation. The polymerization reaction
of the triple bond of acetylide anions gives rise to a network of
carbon sp<sup>2</sup> species with statistically sized and distributed
pores with diameters between 2 and 6 Ã… resembling zeolite structures.
The pores show partially paracrystal-like ordering and may indicate
the possible formation of carbon species derived from graphitic foams