Modification of carbon black by thermal treatment in air-atmosphere

The modification of Cabot Corporation SPHERON 5000 carbon black by thermal treatment has been studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The thermal annealing was performed at temperatures ranging from 500°C to 1150°C for 3 hours in an air-atmosphere. XPS established that the satellite peak of hydrocarbons nearly disappears after treatment at temperatures over 1080°C. XRD reveals that the (002) reflection, due to graphitic ordered sp² hybridized carbon, shifts to its usual position at 2θ= 26.2° and that its full-width at half-maximum decreases with treatment at elevated temperatures. The reflection from (002) planes was sharpened while the relative intensity difference between it and those of (-111) and (011) planes increased, indicating stabilization in the predominately 2D carbon particles. The annealing at 1150°C causes enhancement of the formation of 3D graphitic nanocrystals as the intensity of (-110), (010), (-111), (011), (-112) and (012) planes increases nearly two times. The Raman studies confirmed the above conclusions.