Functionalization of surface layer of nanoporous carbon fibers with bromine and amine functional groups

Activated carbon fibers originated from viscose was brominated in the dibromine solution. An active surface precursor with 1.0 mmol of bromine per gram of carbon fibers was obtained. The bromine groups are capable for a further replacement, e.g. for amines residues. The thermochemical properties of the synthesized samples were studied. The rules of the surface layer bromination were discussed within the results of the thermal and chemical analysis. Two types of bromine groups on the carbon fiber surface were determined by the thermal desorption. These groups were associated with different centers situated on the accessible surface or placed in tight nanoscale pores. The reason of such distribution was the bromination that producing groups which binding strength varies and the effect of configuration factor. This factor limits the thermal desorption of various gaseous molecules which were formed and released during the thermal decomposition of grafted functionalities and sorbed by the samples with small nanosized pores. The use of the precursor route shows that the interface covered with from 0.62 to 0.95 mmol/g of the residual amine functional groups can be prepared.