Surface properties of electrochemically reduced viscose rayon based carbon fibre

Abstract

A viscose rayon based activated carbon cloth (ACC) was electrochemically reduced under a wide variety of current conditions to modify the surface properties. The change in the surface properties was physically and chemically characterised. The anion exchange capacity of ACC increased with an
increase in the extent of reduction. Electrochemical reduction resulted in a loss of 28% BET surface area due to formation of ether groups but its anion exchange capacity increased by 292%. The optimum constant current at which a combination of applied current and reduction time at any extent of reduction to produce ACC of maximum anion exchange capacity was found to be 5.5 A, with voltage of 9.8 V and current density of 6.4 mA/m2.