Successful application of a commercial cationic surfactant mixture (benzalkonium chloride) as porosity stabilizer in porous carbons fabrication

By Tamborini, L. H.; Casco, M. E.; Militello, M. P.; Silvestre-Albero, J.; Barbero, C. A.; Acevedo, D. F.
Published in Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects NULL 2016

Abstract

Abstract Porous carbons (BSPCs) were obtained by carbonization of resorcinol-formaldehyde gels in the presence of cationic surfactants mixture (benzalkonium chloride) which act as porosity stabilizer. The application of an inexpensive industrial grade surfactant mixture as porosity stabilizer permits obtaining porous carbons with well-developed micro and mesoporosity at low cost. The stabilizing effect on the sol-gel nanostructure allows maintaining the gels porosity during conventional air drying, simplifying the production of porous carbon by making unnecessary complex drying procedures (e.g. supercritical drying), cumbersome solvent exchanges, and long curing times. The carbonization process of {BSPCs} studied by {TGA} shows that the stabilizer and non-carbon elements (hydrogen and oxygen) are only eliminated during pyrolysis at temperature above 600

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