Synthesis of structurally novel carbon micro/ nanospheres by low temperature-hydrothermal process

Abstract

Carbon spheres with two to four attached lobes having axial, trigonal and tetrahedral morphology were synthesized at considerably low temperature of 200 C by a hydrothermal reaction. The source of carbon used was sucrose in sulfuric acid medium. The product obtained was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared and Raman spectroscopy, which have inferred us the graphitic nature of the product. Further Scanning and Transmission electron microscopic studies have revealed the spheres having attractive morphology with attached lobes and nodes like structures. The carbon spheres are having the size ranging from 200 nm to 4 ?m. The spheres are solid balls exhibiting metallic luster. They possess surface area and pore volume of 2.956 m2 g-1 and 0.616 x 10-2 cm3 g-1 respectively as obtained from Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method. The yield product obtained was about 70-80 %.