To improve the flame retardant performance of cellulose fibers, fluorine functional groups were introduced under various controlled fluorination conditions. The properties of the fluorinated cellulose fibers were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a thermogravimetric analysis. The fluorine functional group content in the fluorinated cellulose fibers increased with an increase in the fluorination temperature. However, the fluorination reaction increased the char yield and decreased the rate of degradation of the cellulose fibers by introducing donors, enabling the formation of a thick and compact char layer. Therefore, the flame retardant properties of cellulose fibers were improved following the fluorination treatment.

Coke aggregates and carbon artifacts were produced to investigate the interactions of coke and pitch during the kneading process. In addition, the kneading ratio of the coke and binder pitch for the coke aggregates was controlled to identify the formation of voids and pores during carbonization at 900°C. Experiments and thermogravimetric analysis revealed that carbon yields were improved over the theoretical yield calculated by the weight loss of the coke and binder pitch; the improvement was due to the binding interactions between the coke particles and binder pitch by the kneading process. The true, apparent, and bulk densities fluctuated according to the kneading ratio. This study confirmed that an excessive or insufficient kneading ratio decreases the density with degradation of the packing characteristics. The porosity analysis indicated that formation of voids and pores by the binder pitch increased the porosity after carbonization. Image analysis confirmed that the kneading ratio affected the formation of the coke domains and the voids and pores, which revealed the relations among the carbon yields, density, and porosity.

TiO2-doped activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were successfully prepared as capacitive deionization (CDI) electrode materials by facile ultrasonication-assisted process. ACFs were treated with titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and isopropyl alcohol solutions of different concentrations and then calcinated by ultrasonication without heat-treatment. The results show that a certain amount of anatase TiO2 was present on the ACF surface. The specific capacitance of the TiO2-doped ACF electrode was remarkably improved (by 93.8% at scan rate of 50 mV s–1) over that of the untreated ACF electrode, despite decreases in the specific surface area and total pore volume upon TiO2 doping. From the CDI experiments, the salt adsorption capacity and charge efficiency of the sample with TTIP percent concentration of 15% were found to considerably increase by 71.9 and 57.1%, respectively. These increases are attributed to the improved wettability of the electrode, which increases the number of surface active sites and facilitates salt ion diffusion in the ACF pores. Additionally, the Ti-OH groups of TiO2 act as electrosorption sites, which increases the electrosorption capacity.

Pyrolyzed fuel oil (PFO) and coal tar was blended in the feedstock to produce pitch via thermal reaction. The blended feedstock and produced pitch were characterized to investigate the effect of the blending ratio. In the feedstock analysis, coal tar exhibited a distinct distribution in its boiling point related to the number of aromatic rings and showed higher Conradson carbon residue and aromaticity values of 26.6% and 0.67%, respectively, compared with PFO. The pitch yield changed with the blending ratio, while the softening point of the produced pitch was determined by the PFO ratio in the blends. On the other hand, the carbon yield increased with increasing coal tar ratio in the blends. This phenomenon indicated that the formation of aliphatic bridges in PFO may occur during the thermal reaction, resulting in an increased softening point. In addition, it was confirmed that the molecular weight distribution of the produced pitch was associated with the predominant feedstock in the blend.

The effects of ammonia-treated graphene oxide (GO) on composites based on epoxy resin were investigated. Ammonia solutions of different concentrations (14–28%) were used to modify GO. Nitrogen functional groups were introduced on the GO surfaces without significant structural changes. The ammonia-treated GO-based epoxy composites exhibited interesting changes in their mechanical properties related to the presence of nitrogen functional groups, particularly amine (C-NH2) groups on the GO surfaces. The highest tensile and impact strength values were 42.1 MPa and 12.3 J/m, respectively, which were observed in an epoxy composite prepared with GO treated with a 28% ammonia solution. This improved tensile strength was 2.2 and 1.3 times higher than those of the neat epoxy and the non-treated GO-based epoxy composite, respectively. The amine groups on the GO ensure its participation in the cross-linking reaction of the epoxy resin under amine curing agent condition and enhance its interfacial bonding with the epoxy resin.

Activated carbon fiber (ACF) surfaces are modified using an electron beam under different aqueous solutions to improve the NO gas sensitivity of a gas sensor based on ACFs. The oxygen functional group on the ACF surface is changed, resulting in an increase of the number of non-carbonyl (-C-O-C-) groups from 32.5% for pristine ACFs to 39.53% and 41.75% for ACFs treated with hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydroxide solutions, respectively. We discover that the NO gas sensitivity of the gas sensor fabricated using the modified ACFs as an electrode material is increased, although the specific surface area of the ACFs is decreased because of the recovery of their crystal structure. This is attributed to the static electric interaction between NO gas and the non-carbonyl groups introduced onto the ACF surfaces.

Cellulose fibers were stabilized by treatment with an electron-beam (E-beam). The properties of the stabilized fibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The E-beam-stabilized cellulose fibers were carbonized in N2 gas at 800°C for 1 h, and their carbonization yields were measured. The structure of the cellulose fibers was determined to have changed to hemicellulose and cross-linked cellulose as a result of the E-beam stabilization. The hemicellulose decreased the initial decomposition temperature, and the cross-linked bonds increased the carbonization yield of the cellulose fibers. Increasing the absorbed E-beam dose to 1500 kGy increased the carbonization yield of the cellulose-based carbon fiber by 27.5% upon exposure compared to untreated cellulose fibers.

Carbon micro particles with dimple patterns were produced by electro-spraying a solution of pitch in tetrahydrofuran. Particle formation depended on separation in an electrical field and volatilization of the solvent. More than 80% of the obtained carbon exhibited an average particle size of less than 50 μm. X-ray diffraction analysis suggests that the carbon with dimple patterns has increased crystallinity after heat treatment.

Carbon fibers are prepared by stabilizing pitch fibers accompanying electron beam (E-beam) irradiation. The carbon fibers pretreated by E-beam irradiation achieve a higher stabilization index than the carbon fibers that are only heat-stabilized. In addition, the carbon fibers subjected to E-beam irradiation in the stabilization step exhibit a comparable tensile strength to that of general purpose carbon fibers. The carbon fibers pretreated with an absorbed dose of 3000 kGy have a tensile strength of 0.54 GPa for a similar fiber diameter. Elemental, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses indicate that Ebeam irradiation is an efficient oxidation and dehydrogenation treatment for pitch fibers by showing that the intensity of the aliphatic C–H stretching and aromatic CH2 bending (out-ofplane) bands significantly decrease and carbonyl and carboxylic groups form.

High crystallinity coke-based activated carbon (hc-AC) is prepared using a potassium hydroxide solution to adsorb carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 adsorption characteristics of the prepared hc-AC are investigated at different temperatures. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that pitch-based cokes prepared under high temperature and pressure have a high crystal structure. The textural properties of hc-AC indicate that it consists mainly of slit-like pores. Compared to other textural forms of AC that have higher pore volumes, this slit-poreshaped hc-AC exhibits higher CO2 adsorption due to the similar shape between its pores and CO2 molecules. Additionally, in these high-crystallinity cokes, the main factor affecting CO2 adsorption at lower temperature is the pore structure, whereas the presence of oxygen functional groups on the surface has a greater impact on CO2 adsorption at higher temperature.