Abstract :
Hybrid carbon-coated alumina supports have been synthesised using 4,40-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) as carbon precursor. The adsorption
of 4,40-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) on the alumina support is irreversible, the resulting organic moiety can undergo pyrolysis under elevated
temperature with the formation of carbon coating on the alumina support. Carbon loading in the synthesised materials and thus a degree of coverage
of the alumina surface with carbon layer can be increased by repetition of 4,40-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) adsorption–pyrolysis cycles. The
carbon coating does not substantially influence the pore structure of the initial alumina support. Upon increasing the carbon loading, the carbon
coating becomes more uniform with respect to carbon localisation both on the internal and the external surface of the alumina support. The carbon
coating on an alumina support can be discriminated from carbonaceous deposits due to a difference in the steady-state surface charging of the
samples. Moreover, carbonaceous surface species which associated with C–O, C O and O C–O groups in carbon coating can also be identified
