Laboratory and research group for carbon materials
www.polymer-carbon.ch.pwr.wroc.pl
Head: prof. Jacek Machnikowski
People:
  • 3 professors
  • 4 research associates
  • 6 PhD students
  • 10-15 students
Focus areas:
  • Conventional carbon materials and composites (prof. Jacek Machnikowski)
    Synthesis from organic precursors (fossil fuels, pitches, natural and synthetic polymers) and functionalization for advanced applications in water treatment, gas storage and separation (CH4, CO2, H2) and electrochemical energy storage.
    Representative papers:
    1. Properties and lithium insertion behavior of hard carbons produced by pyrolysis of various polymers, A. Piotrowska et al., J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol. 102, 1-6 (2013)
    2. Capacitance behavior of KOH activated mesocarbon microbeads in different aqueous electrolytes, K. Torchała et al., Electrochimica Acta 56, 260-267 (2012)
    3. Template method synthesis of mesoporous carbon spheres and its applications as supercapacitors, K. Wilgosz et al., Nanoscale Research Letters 7 269 (2012)
    4. Adsorption capacity enhancement by activation with CO2 of monolithic adsorbents made of KOH-activated carbon and polymer-derived binder, J. Machnikowski et al., Energy&Fuels 26 3697-3702 (2012)
    5. New easy way preparation of core/shell structured SnO2@carbon spheres and application for lithium-ion batteries, X. Chen et al., J. Power Sources 216 475-481 (2012)
    6. KOH activation of pitch-derived carbonaceous materials - Effect of carbonization degree, M. Król et al., Fuel Proc. Technol. 92 158-165 (2011)
       
  • Nanostructured carbons and composites (prof. Grażyna Gryglewicz)
    Synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and nanofibers (CNF) by catalytic chemical vapor deposition. Synthesis of graphene and graphene oxide by graphite exfoliation. Nanocomposites based on the nanocarbons. Functionalization and characterization for the application in supercapacitor and catalysis.
    Representative papers:
    1. Carbon nanofibers grafted on activated carbon as an electrode in high-power supercapacitors, G. Gryglewicz et al., CHEMSUSCHEM 6, 1516-22 (2013)
    2. Influence of wet oxidation of herringbone carbon nanofibers on the pseudocapacitance effect, A. Śliwak et al., Carbon 64, 324-333 (2013)
    3. Carbon nanofibers and activated carbon supported nickel catalysts for hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to hydrocinnammaldehyde, S. Gryglewicz et al., Catalysis Letters (in press)
       
Equipment:
  • Porosity and surface area analysers (N2 and CO2 adsorption)
  • High pressure (up to 6 MPa) gas adsorption system
  • Laboratory PSA/VSA/TSA gas separation system (capacity 100 ccm, 0-30 bars, 0 - 250 oC)
  • Gas chromatography (GC-MS, TD-GC-MS, GC- (FID, ECD, TCD)
  • Equipment for catalyst testing under high hydrogen pressure
  • Potentiostat/gavanostat (VMP3) with facilities for electrode preparation and testing
  • Polarized light optical microscopes
  • Equipment for synthesis and functionalization of carbons and nanocarbons
International projects:
  • Coalphenes (RFCS)
    Coal liquid-based high crystalline carbons for the synthesis of graphene-based composites
     
  • Eurofibres (RFCS)
    Development of carbon precursors from anthracene oil-based pitches for carbon fibre preparation
     
  • Bilateral Polish-Belgium
    Biomass-based activated carbons for water purification
     
  • Bilateral Polish-French
    Use of CVD for the performance improvement of Si/C composite anode of Li-ion batteries