Papers by Author: Shun Jian Xu

Abstract: A hierarchical porous carbon derived from phenolic resin (PF) was processed using ethylene glycol (EG) and starch as double porogens. The influences of composition of starting mixture, including the two porogens and PF, on morphological properties and microstructure of the porous carbon were investigated. It was demonstrated that the content of starch and the relative content of EG to PF played key roles in determining the number, size and formation of the hierarchical pores, which in turn led to changes in the properties and the microstructure of the porous carbon. In particular, the number of the first-level pores (diameter ~10–40 μm) increased with the content of starch increasing, and the high relative content of EG to PF contributed to the formation of the second-level pores (diameter ~0.5–2 μm), which were closely related to the formation mechanisms of the two-level pores, respectively. Under the present experimental conditions, sufficiently high starch content can result in the microstructural abnormalities, such as the incomplete decomposition of starch and the formation of the third-level pores which originated from the stack of discrete carbon particles.

Abstract: A route based on a technique of polymerization - induced phase separation and pyrolysis (PIPSP) has been developed to fabricate complex-shaped SiC parts. The capability of this process to produce complex component shapes has been demonstrated, and corresponding reactive mechanisms have been also discussed. Three types of porous carbon preforms, i.e. mesoporous carbon monoliths (MCMs), hierarchical porous carbon monoliths (HCMs) and porous carbon foam (PCFs) were obtained, which has different pore size distributions. The pore structures of the preforms can be controlled through changing starting mixture composition and polymerizing conditions. The apparent porosity of the preform was changed from 19.9 to 60%, which was a key parameter to obtain dense SiC parts. After reactive infiltration of the preform with Si, the SiC parts were obtained. Geometry of SiC parts were controlled by molds. The dimension shrinkage of SiC parts was less than 3% before/after siliconization and no distortion occurred. Compared with other molds assistance route, the wax mold assistance route was a most potential technique to fabricate SiC parts industrially because of its suitable forming precision, recycled mold materials and low-cost. The mechanism of the reactive infiltration of MCMs was different from that of the reactive infiltration of preforms with bigger pore size, i.e. the pore channels of MCMs were restructured at transitional stage of reaction.

Abstract: We used ethylene glycol as pore-forming agent to prepare porous carbon with interconnected pores derived from phenol–formaldehyde resin. The mixture of resins and glycol was by polymerization and pyrolysis monolithic material of porous carbon with interconnected mesopores and a narrow pore size range. The average pore size of the porous carbon obtained was 28.2 nm. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm for the porous carbon exhibited type IV isotherm, which corresponded to mesoporous adsorption. The method could endow porous carbon with BET surface area and pore volume about 500 m2/g and 0.607 cm3/g, respectively. The mesopores in porous carbon formed as a result of phase separation of resin-rich phase and glycol-rich phase at polymerization and remove of glycol-rich at subsequent pyrolysis.