One-step synthesis of prolate spheroidal-shaped carbon produced by the thermolysis of octene under its autogenic pressure

The dependence of the macroscopic shape of pure carbon on the precursor structure is observed using Reactions under Autogenic Pressure at Elevated Temperatures (RAPET) for the thermal dissociation of several precursors, including stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, methyl 3 butenoate, methyl butyrate, octadecane, octadecene, octane, octene and acrolein. The precursors are dissociated under their autogenic pressure developed at 700 degrees C to create a range of pure carbon microstructures. Prolate spheroidal-shaped carbon (PSSHC) is prepared by heating octene, among others, at 700 degrees C in a closed cell in a one-step process. The dimensions of the carbon bodies were 3-5 mu m for the polar diameter and 6-8 mu m for the equatorial diameter. Obtaining the PSSHC from octene is in contrast to a previous work, which required a long hydrocarbon chain and the presence of oxygen for the formation of PSSHC upon thermolysis under identical autogenic pressure. The products of the RAPET reaction of octene showed a strong ESR signal, resulting from nonbonding dangling electrons on the carbon surface. However, treating the carbons with a beam of hydrogen atoms has almost completely eliminated the ESR signal. The question why the thermal dissociation of some precursors yield PSSHC, while other precursors yield other morphologies, is discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.