Structural studies of saccharose- and anthracene-based carbons by high energy X-ray scattering

A series of porous carbon materials, produced by pyrolysis of saccharose and anthracene and heat-treated at 1000 °C, 1900 °C and 2300 °C have been studied by wide-angle X-ray scattering. The X-ray data were collected at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble on the ID 15 beam line (high-energy X-ray diffraction) using the wavelength λ = 0,1067 Å (E = 116,2 keV). The data were recorded in the scattering-vector range from 0.5 to 24 Å- 1 which allowed to conversion to real space via the Fourier transform yielding the radial distribution function of a good quality. Analysis of the experimental radial distribution function shows that carbons produced from anthracene transforms into graphite at 1900 °C and this process is almost complete at 2300 °C. The saccharose-based carbons remain disordered even at high temperature.