Structures, physicochemical properties and oxygen reduction activities of carbons derived from ferrocene-poly(furfuryl alcohol) mixtures

The structure, physicochemical properties and oxygen reduction abilities of carbons prepared by the carbonization of mixtures of ferrocene and poly(furfuryl alcohol) were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed that the carbons thus prepared consisted of two components; amorphous and turbostratic shell-like components. The fraction, f (sharp), obtained by the analysis of the (002) peak in XRD was found to be a parameter that represented the degree of formation of the shell-like components. The formation of the shell-like components induced an increase in the mesopore volumes. Electrical conductivity increased exponentially with f (sharp), which indicated that the conduction process was governed by a percolation process of the conductive shell-like components. The amount of CO-desorption by O-2-TPD technique showed a maximum desorption at f (sharp)=0.3, and the further development in the sharp component led to a decrease in the CO-desorption. Mossbauer spectroscopy technique revealed the presence of alpha-Fe, gamma-Fe, Fe1-x O and Fe3C in the prepared carbons, which were soluble species to acids. The oxygen reduction activity was studied in a oxygen saturated sulfuric acid solution by rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The oxygen reduction potential varied with f (sharp); initially it increased by f (sharp)=0.3 and then it decreased at higher f (sharp) values. This behavior was similar to that of CO-desorption, which meant the presence of an adequate degree of the development of the shell-like structure for maximizing oxygen adsorption. Removal of the surface metal component from the carbons by acid-washing resulted in no decrease in the oxygen reduction activities of the carbons. The nature of the active sites on the carbon materials is discussed.