Nanostructural development of non-graphitising carbons probed using TEM/EELS: The importance of fullerenes?

This work presents a comprehensive study of a set of non-graphitising carbons as a function of heat treatment temperature (HTT) up to 3000 °C using a combination of density measurements, X-ray and electron diffraction, high resolution TEM and low loss and core loss EELS. Results are compared to those obtained from graphitising carbons. Of interest is the variation in plasmon energy with HTT and its relationship to density as well as the ratio of sp2to sp3 bonded carbon species derived from the C K-edge using a revised analytical procedure. Results are reviewed in light of the fairly recent suggestion that the intrinsic structure of non-graphitising carbons is based on the inclusion of fullerene-like units. We speculate as to whether this might have a broader significance for carbonaceous materials in general.