Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation: A novel approach to design mesoporous carbon films

We report on a fast synthesis method of porous carbon films on solid substrates. Thin carbon micro-structures tailored by processing conditions were synthesized for the first time by Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation. The procedure consists of pulsed laser irradiation of a cryogenic target composed of phloroglucinol/glyoxylic acid organic precursors dissolved in different mixtures of solvents. An excimer UV KrF* pulsed laser was employed inside a vacuum chamber for material expulsion from the target and immobilization on a solid facing collector. By modifying laser energy or target solvents, thin polymeric coatings of hundreds of nanometers with various cross-linking degrees were obtained at room temperature in 10 min only. No drying or thermo-polymerization step is required even for high boiling point solvents such as dymethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). After thermal treatment, mesoporous carbon films exhibiting diverse nano-morphologies and surface areas up to 705 m2 g−1 determined by Kr adsorption were then directly obtained onto various collectors. Processing and assembling mechanisms of phenolic resins were investigated and two competing mechanisms, e.g., target absorption of laser wavelength and subsequent molecules transfer/interactions are accounted for the growth of high quality films as highlighted by several techniques.

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