Synthesis and characterization of electrical conducting porous carbon structures based on resorcinol–formaldehyde

Electrical conducting carbon (ECC) porous structures were explored by changing the pyrolysis temperature of organic xerogel compounds prepared by sol–gel method from resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) mixtures in acetone using picric acid as catalyst. The effect of this preparation parameter on the structural and electrical properties of the obtained ECCs was studied. The analysis of the obtained results revealed that the polymeric insulating xerogel phase was transformed progressively with pyrolysis temperature into carbon conducting phase; this means the formation of long continuous conducting path for charge carriers to move inside the structure with thermal treatment and the samples exhibited tangible percolation behaviour where the percolation threshold can be determined by pyrolysis temperature. The temperature-dependent conductivity of the obtained ECC structures shows a semi-conducting behaviour and the I(V) characteristics present a negative differential resistance. The results obtained from STM micrographs revealed that the obtained ECC structures consist of porous electrical conducting carbon materials.

Graphical abstractElectrical conducting porous carbon structure.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide