Synthesis, characterisation and magnetic examination of Fe, Co and Ni doped carbon xerogels

Transition metal (Fe, Co and Ni) doped carbon xerogels (CXs) were synthesised by one-pot pyrolysis of the sol-gel polymer of resorcinol and formaldehyde in the presence of the corresponding metal nitrates. N-2 adsorption-desorption and scanning and transmission electron microscopies proved that the addition of different metals could exert a remarkable influence on the textural properties. From X-ray diffraction, the phase of the metallic species was confirmed. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the surface morphologies of the resultant metal-CXs were composed of carbon microspheres. Transmission electron microscopy observations illustrated that Ni-CX was made of uniform carbon nanotubes that differed from the core/shell structures of Fe-and Co-xerogels. Measurements on the magnetic properties indicated that the Fe-, Co- and Ni-CXs exhibited typical ferromagnetic characteristics at room temperature.