Oxidation behavior of furan-resin-derived carbon alloyed with Ta or Ti Original Research Article

The effect of Ti, Nb and Ta on the anti-oxidation of furan-resin-derived carbons was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis combined with gas/mass spectroscopy, Hall coefficient and magnetoresistance measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Hall coefficient and magnetoresistance measurements revealed that the electronic properties of carbons with the above metal elements, and thus their crystallinity, are similar to that of neat carbon. The oxidation rates of the carbons with a small amount of Ti or Ta are decreased up to 1000 °C compared to that of neat carbon. The number of working active sites in carbons with Ta or Ti is smaller than that in carbons with Nb or neat carbon. Ta or Ti terminates some active sites in the carbons, or somehow modifies the structures of the active sites and retards the formation of oxygen–carbon intermediate products (surface complexes) on the materials. Thus, the oxidation rate of the carbons is decreased.