A combination of porous and crystalline characters in carbon aerogels by a synergistic graphitization

• Carbon aerogels containing the manganese additive can be intensify graphitized.
• Reduced manganese oxides by sodium metals cause the synergistic graphitization.
• Porous characters of carbon aerogels is obvious optimized by the graphitization.
• The graphitized carbon aerogels possess combined porous and crystalline characters.

The synergistic graphitization of carbon aerogels (CAs) was carried out by annealing CAs containing different amounts of manganese additives in molten sodium metals at 800 °C. Resulted samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering spectra, electron microscopy and gas physisorption methods. Effects of manganese additives and sodium metals on the synergistic graphitization were investigated. Graphitized CAs samples exhibit larger specific surface areas and total pore volumes than initial CAs and the graphitization of CAs can be adjusted at the same temperature by changing the content of manganese additives in CAs. The synergistic graphitization is related to the thermodynamic environment in CAs improved by the reduction of manganese additives in sodium metals. It results in a combination of porous and crystalline characters in graphitic carbons.

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