Characterization by SEM, TEM and Quantum-Chemical Simulations of the Spherical Carbon with Nitrogen (SCN) Active Carbon Produced by Thermal Decomposition of Poly(vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene) Copolymer

Amorphous Spherical Carbon with Nitrogen (SCN) active carbon has been prepared by carbonization of poly(vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene) (PVPDVB) copolymer. The PVPDVB dehydrogenation copolymer has been quantum chemically (QC) simulated using cluster and periodic models. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) studies of the resulting product have conformed the QC computation results. Great structural similarity is found both at the nano- and micro-levels between the N-doped SCN carbon and its pure carbonic SKS analog.