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Chemistry and Industry of Forest Products ›› 2016, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (5): 53-60.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-2417.2016.05.008

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Preparation of Carbon Foams with High Compressive Strength Derived from Phenolic Resin

LI Xue-mei, LIU Shou-qing, HUANG Yuan-bo, YANG Xiao-qin, ZHENG Yun-wu, HUANG Gui-xiang, ZHENG Zhi-feng   

  1. University Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Refinery & Synthesis, Yunnan Province;College of Materials Engineering, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
  • Received:2015-11-11 Online:2016-10-25 Published:2016-11-05

Abstract: Carbon foams were synthesized by foaming method with self-made phenolic resin as precursor. The effects of the foaming conditions and carbonization conditions on microstructure, phase composition and mechanical properties of carbon foams were investigated. The results showed that phenolic resin foams should be heated in a low heating rate(1℃/min) at 200-650℃ during carbonization process. Carbon foams obtained under carbonization temperature 900℃ were mainly amorphous carbon and sodium chloride crystal, which were proved by XRD analysis. The SEM images revealed that the surfactant (Tween 80) had a significant influence on the distribution of bubbles in carbon foams, and the amounts of foaming agent(n-hexane) mainly affected the number of bubbles and pore size, while the amounts of curing agent(hydrochloric acid) influenced the pore size significantly. The optimum preparation conditions of carbon foams were curing agent 3%, surfactant 6% and foaming agent 6% (based on phenolic resin weight), respectively. The resultant carbon foam had pore size ranged of 50-150 μm with uniform structure and the thinner hole-wall. It also had a apparent density of 0.276 g/cm3, specific surface area of 137.9 m2/g, and the compressive strength of 11.1 MPa.

Key words: phenolic resin, carbon foams, foaming, microstructure, mechanical properties

CLC Number: