Effects of synthesis parameters on zeolite templated carbon for hydrogen storage application

Templated carbon was synthesized using NH4Y-zeolite template and furfuryl alcohol as carbon precursor by carbonization method. The effects of synthesis conditions, such as carbonization temperature, dwelling time, heating ramp and flow rate of N-2, on surface area and pore structure of templated carbons were investigated. The carbonization temperature was varied in range of 650-850 degrees C and dwelling time in range of 1-4 h. Physicochemical properties of zeolite and templated carbons were studied by TGA, surface area and pore analysis, XRD, SEM and FESEM techniques. The BET and micropore area increased with increasing dwelling time and were maximum at 3 h at all carbonization temperatures. At 3 h dwelling time, BET surface area and pore volume of templated carbons were observed to be highest at carbonization temperature of 750 degrees C while micropore area was slightly higher at 650 degrees C. The hydrogen storage capacity was measured by temperature programmed desorption method at atmospheric pressure and different temperatures (-100 degrees C and -50 degrees C). For carbons prepared by continuous heating, hydrogen storage was maximum (0.15 wt.%) at -100 degrees C and atmospheric pressure for carbon synthesized at 650 degrees C and 3 h dwelling time. The stepwise heating resulted in higher BET surface area (1886 m(2)/g) and micropore area (1136 m(2)/g) and increased hydrogen uptake of 0.29 wt.% at -100 degrees C was obtained for carbon synthesized at 750 degrees C with 3 h dwelling time. The storage capacity was observed to be higher for samples having higher amount of micropores and mesopores less than 6 nm. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.