A comprehensive study of polyaniline-derived porous carbons via KOH activation

High surface area porous carbons (up to 3768 m(2) g(-1)) were prepared from as-synthesized polyaniline (PANI) by KOH activation. The structural characteristics of the resulting carbons have been comprehensively studied in terms of activation parameters such as activation temperature, KOH ratio and preheating temperature. It has been found that increasing activation temperature/KOH ratio improves pore development, but will result in pore widening effect and eventually decrease of Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area and micropore volume. It has also been determined that a proper preheating stage leads to the formation of network-like nanostructures through polymeric cross-linking. These nanostructures are beneficial to the pore development during subsequent activation at high temperatures and can lead to activated carbons with exceptionally high BET surface area and microporosity.