Textural and electronic characteristics of mechanochemically activated composites with nanosilica and activated carbon

Nanosilicas (A-50, A-300, A-500)/activated carbon (AC, SBET = 1520 m2/g) composites were prepared using short-term (5 min) mechanochemical activation (MCA) of powder mixtures in a microbreaker. Smaller silica nanoparticles of A-500 (average diameter dav = 5.5 nm) can more easily penetrate into broad mesopores and macropores of AC microparticles than larger nanoparticles of A-50 (dav = 52.4 nm) or A-300 (dav = 8.1 nm). After MCA of silica/AC, nanopores of non-broken AC nanoparticles remained accessible for adsorbed N2 molecules. According to ultra-soft X-ray emission spectra (USXES), MCA of silica/AC caused formation of chemical bonds Si-O-C; however, Si-C and Si-Si bonds were practically not formed. A decrease in intensity of OKα band in respect to CKα band of silica/AC composites with diminishing sizes of silica nanoparticles is due to both changes in the surface structure of particles and penetration of a greater number of silica nanoparticles into broad pores of AC microparticles and restriction of penetration depth of exciting electron beam into the AC particles.

. Silica nanoparticles can penetrate into broad pores of activated carbon microparticles.Highlights► Characteristics of nanosilica and activated carbon composites depend on a silica type. ► USXE spectra show penetration of silica nanoparticles into broad pores of AC microparticles. ► 3s-electrons of Si atoms are more sensitive to formation of composites than 2p-electrons of O and C.