Effects of heat treatment temperature on oxidation behavior of glass-like carbon derived from acetone-furfural resin

Glass-like carbons (GCs) were prepared by carbonization of acetone-furfural resin in nitrogen atmosphere at 850 °C, followed by heat treatment over a range of 1 200-2 500 °C in inert atmosphere. The effect of heat treatment temperature (HTT) on the oxidation behavior was investigated by dynamic and isothermal thermogravimetric analyses. The structure of GC was examined by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and the morphologies of GC before and after oxidation were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is shown that the GC samples present peculiar oxidation behavior. The anti-oxidation behavior increases with increasing the HTT to 1 600 °C, whereas decreases gradually thereafter. GC sample heat treated at 1 600 °C obtains relatively optimal anti-oxidation properties under this condition. During the oxidation, this material produces grid network matrix surface and numerous nodular residues on the surface, resulting in excellent resistance to the attack of oxygen atoms.