Enhancement of thermal stability of poly(divinylbenzene) microspheres

In order to enhance the thermal stability and prepare a new kind of carbon microbeads from poly(divinylbenzene) microspheres (PDM), air oxidation treatment was introduced to modify the pristine PDM. The results showed that the spherical shape of PDM was preserved via the air oxidation and further carbonization at 700 degrees C. The changes of morphology, especially the surface functional groups and the thermal properties of PDM after air oxidation were investigated in detail by SEM, IR and TG/DSC measurements, respectively. The possible mechanism of oxidation treatment was elucidated. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.