Evolution of glassy carbon under heat treatment: correlation structure–mechanical properties

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 3509 - 3523
• Main Authors: Jurkiewicz, K., Pawlyta, M., Zygadło, D., Chrobak, D., Duber, S., Wrzalik, R., Ratuszna, A., Burian, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-03-2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbonization; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Curvature; Electron energy loss spectroscopy; Electronic Materials; Electrons; Energy dissipation; Energy transmission; Fullerenes; Glassy carbon; Graphene; Graphite; Hardness (Materials); Heat treatment; Materials Science; Mechanical properties; Modulus of elasticity; Nanoindentation; Nanotubes; Polymer Sciences; Pyrolysis; Raman spectroscopy; Solid Mechanics; Spectrum analysis; Transmission electron microscopy; Pyrolysis Temperature; Glassy Carbon; Graphene-like Layers; Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy; Nanoindentation
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-017-1753-7

In order to accommodate an increasing demand for glassy carbon products with tailored characteristics, one has to understand the origin of their structure-related properties. In this work, through the use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy it has been demonstrated that the structure of glassy carbon at different stages of the carbonization process resembles the curvature observed in fragments of nanotubes, fullerenes, or nanoonions. The measured nanoindentation hardness and reduced Young’s modulus change as a function of the pyrolysis temperature from the range of 600–2500 °C and reach maximum values for carbon pyrolyzed at around 1000 °C. Essentially, the highest values of the mechanical parameters for glassy carbon manufactured at that temperature can be related to the greatest amount of non-planar
sp
2
-hybridized carbon atoms involved in the formation of curved graphene-like layers. Such complex labyrinth-like structure with
sp
2
-type bonding would be rigid and hard to break that explains the glassy carbon high strength and hardness.