Carbon-Iron Microfibrous Material Produced by Thermal Treatment of Self-rolled Poly(4-vinyl pyridine) Films Loaded by Fe2O3 Particles

Ensembles of freeze-dried self-rolled polymer micro-scrolls are explored as template media for producing carbon-iron based composites with fibrous morphology. Polymer fibres impregnated with furfuryl alcohol and loaded with Fe2O3 particles, were thermally treated under inert atmosphere at 700 °C and subsequently analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and nitrogen adsorption. The resulting material has a micro-fibrous morphology and is basically composed of metallic Fe0 and FeO particles, i.e., more than 98 wt% of the carbon/iron-based composite mass. These particles are held together by amorphous porous carbon foam obtained by in-situ carbonization of the polymer/Fe2O3 composite with evacuation of carbon from the system via COx gases released by carbo-reduction of Fe2O3. The material has significant activity in the reaction of catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in water solutions.