The effect of pyrolysis temperature on the physical properties of monolithic carbons derived from solid iron bamboo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the physical properties of new monolithic porous carbon materials derived from exceptional kind of bamboo characterized by solid, very strong stem, i.e., from iron bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus). Raw and carbonised bamboo (carbon content up to 82%) was characterized using various methods: elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), helium gas densitometry, ultrasonic measurements, light and scanning electron microscopes. The DSC thermogram showed that the thermal decomposition of iron bamboo was characterized by T1 = 264 °C and T2 = 356 °C, i.e., was finished at T > 400 °C. For the higher carbonisation temperatures, above 600 °C, weight loss and carbon content were found to be almost constant, while the true density and the elastic parameters: the ultrasonic velocity and the dynamic elastic modulus still increased. This means that more intensive heating did not remove any compounds from stem, but there was probably reorganization of structure of carbonised iron bamboo, resulting in more compact matrix in porous carbon.