Thermal treatment influence on the surface characteristics of the boron-doped hydrothermal carbon

Abstract

Boron-doped carbons were produced using hydrothermal carbonization of glucose carbohydrates under mild temperature (180oC). Boric acid was introduced into glucose precursor solution in order to obtained boron concentration of 0.2% and 1%. Two types of samples were prepared: hydrothermal carbons (HTC) and hydrothermal carbons thermally treated to 1000oC (HTCc). Characterization of the samples obtained was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). SEM analysis showed that higher boron concentration in the precursor solution caused enlargement of particle size for both type of samples, while the thermal treatment induced decrease of particle size. FTIR spectra showed that the different amount of boron in the precursor solution induced quite diverse effects on the surface chemistry of hydrothermal carbons before and after the thermal treatment.