A method for the preparation of activated carbon based carbon/carbonaceous composites with controllable surface functionality

Activated carbon-based carbon/carbonaceous composites with different surface functional groups were synthesized by a hydrothermal carbonization-deposition method in which commercial activated carbon was exposed to a gaseous mixture of furfural/water or furfural/acrylic acid/water at 180 °C to form the carbon/carbonaceous composites. The products were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption analysis. The results indicate that the surface area and pore volume of the composite can be tailored by tuning the hydrothermal treatment time. More importantly, different functional groups can be anchored onto the composite, and composites with surface hydroxyl or carboxylic or amine groups were prepared.