Oxidation of carbons in the presence of chlorine Original Research Article

The oxidation reaction of carbon black, sucrose carbon and graphite in the presence of chlorine was studied by thermal analysis (TGA and DTA). The oxidation rate was shown to depend upon the characteristics of each carbon. Heating in chlorine caused different degrees of mass increase in each of the three carbons, with two reaction zones due to physisorption and chemisorption of chlorine on the carbon surface. Burning of the carbons in oxygen gave the following reactivity order: carbon black>sucrose carbon>graphite. Burning of the carbons in the presence of chlorine showed its inhibiting effect, being strongest in carbon black. Oxidation in absence of chlorine started at 525, 560 and 660°C for carbon black, sucrose carbon and graphite, respectively. When chlorine was present in the gaseous phase, oxidation started at 650, 590 and 770°C. Therefore, the reactivity order in the presence of oxygen was sucrose carbon>carbon black>graphite.