Carbonization of low thermal stability polymers at the interface of liquid metals. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Allioux, Francois-Marie; Merhebi, Salma; Tang, Jianbo; Zhang, Chengchen; Merenda, Andrea; Cai, Shengxiang; Ghasemian, Mohammad B.; Rahim, Md Arifur; Maghe, Maxime; Lim, Sean; Zhang, Jin; Hyde, Lachlan; Mayyas, Mohannad; Cunning, Benjamin V.; Ruoff, Rodney S.; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 171(2021)
• Page Start: 938
• Page End: 945
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Liquid metal -- Gallium -- Carbonization -- Graphitization -- Polyvinyl alcohol; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.09.062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Gallium and many of its alloys remain in liquid phase across impressively wide temperature ranges. Here such liquid metals are proposed as reaction media for the carbonization of low thermal stability polymeric precursors at high temperatures. Plain and cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol are chosen as representatives of such polymers. We show that due to the immiscibility of organic carbons within the liquid metal phase, these polymers that would otherwise vaporize at elevated temperatures, can function as precursors for the formation of carbonaceous films. The thin polymeric films are placed in an intimate contact with the liquid metal surface before thermal processing and show amorphous to graphitic-like characteristics after carbonization. Graphitic-like properties were obtained when a high melting point graphitization catalyst, such as copper, was co-alloyed. The proposed work can be expanded to explore other metallic elements within the bulk of gallium-based alloys for the carbonization of polymeric precursors at large-scales. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Polymers that do not carbonize otherwise can be 'capped' by liquid metals and thereby carbonized. Gallium-based liquid metals exhibit selective miscibility to non-metallic elements. Gallium, gallium-indium and gallium-copper were chosen as liquid metal reactors. Carbon films with amorphous and graphitic characteristics were formed. Inclusion of copper in liquid metal enhanced the graphitic characteristics of the films.