Synthesis and properties of cellular carbon foam obtained from the pyrolysis products of a propane/butane fuel mix

A mesophase precursor of carbon foam was synthesized by the pyrolysis of a propane-butane technical mixture; the precursor was shown to comprise polycyclic aromatic structures with the boiling point range from 200 degrees to 400 degrees C and above. The study revealed that the composition of the mesophase precursor can change with time, prolongation of which leads to the formation of higher molecular compounds. The formation of cellular carbon foam and its structure were studied; the possibility of obtaining closed and open cellular species was demonstrated. According to XRD, TEM and Raman spectroscopy data, the carbon material constituting the foam is nonporous and its nanostructure is typical of the carbon materials with a low ordering of graphene layers. A 70-80 nm thick carbon film in closed cellular carbon foam has a higher ordering of graphene layers and is readily removed in an air atmosphere (10 min, 850 degrees C) with the formation of open cellular carbon foam. The obtained carbon foam possesses high chemical and thermal stability and could be applied in the adsorption catalytic technologies. It was shown in experiments that this carbon material with a density 0.02 g.cm(-3) and oil capacity above 20 g.g(-1) is promising for use as a regenerable petroleum sorbent.