Carbonization of Polyfurfuryl Alcohol Prepared between the Lamellae of Saponite

Abstract

Polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) was carbonized between the lamellae of saponite (SAPO) clay which has a structure similar to montmorillonite. The carbon thus obtained was characterized and compared with the carbon previously prepared from (MONT). The carbon from SAPO is quite different from the MONT-carbon; i. e., the former is non-graphitizable and swells with organic solvents. The SAPOcarbon consists of very thin and wrinkled films. Such a unique structure of this carbon comes from three-dimensionally random structure of SAPO template. It was found that the presence of both the unique structure and surface oxygen-containing complexes on the carbon is necessary for the swelling with solvents.