Comparison of surface properties of carbons gasified in nitrous oxide and in oxygen Original Research Article

Surface structures and reactivities of carbons gasified in N2O and in O2 are compared in this study. The carbon employed was derived from pyrolysis of phenol-formaldehyde resins. It was found that greater surface area and pore volume are created for the carbon gasified in O2 than that in N2O. At high extents of burn-off the carbon gasified in N2O shows a larger mesopore volume than that in O2. The reactivity per unit surface area of the carbon in N2O decreases with the extent of burn-off, while that in O2 remains relatively constant at various extents of burn-off. Surfaces in carbon micropores do not appear to be fully utilized in the N2O-carbon reaction. It is confirmed that standard N2 or CO2 surface area is not a proper characterization of the reactive surface area of carbon gasified in N2O.