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Microporous carbon–nitrogen fibers from keratin fibers by pyrolysis
Author(s) -
Senoz Erman,
Wool Richard P.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.32397
Subject(s) - pyrolysis , microporous material , materials science , chemical engineering , nitrogen , carbon fibers , adsorption , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite number , engineering
Abstract A two‐step pyrolysis method was developed for poultry keratin fibers to convert them into high temperature resistant and adsorbent fibers while retaining their original physical appearance and affine dimensions. Nearly all accessible pores in the microporous pyrolyzed chicken feather fibers (PCFF) have a diameter less than 1 nm and could be used in applications, such as adsorption, hydrogen storage, and separation of small gas molecules. An intermolecular crosslinking mechanism in the first step of pyrolysis at 215°C for 24 h provided an intact fibrous structure with no subsequent melting. The second step of the pyrolysis at 400–450°C for 1 h resulted in a microporous material with a narrower pore size distribution than commercial activated carbons. Surface and bulk characterization techniques including XPS, total carbon–nitrogen, and FTIR were utilized to examine property changes occurring during the two pyrolysis steps. A partially cyclic carbon–nitrogen framework (carbon/nitrogen ratio = 2.38) supported by double and triple bonds, and oxygen functionalities is the suggested structural model for the PCFF. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010