Carbon Membranes Prepared from Poly (Furfuryl Alcohol–Furfural) Precursors: Effect of FeCl3 Additive

Thermosetting resins, such as poly (furfuryl alcohol), are efficient precursors for preparation of carbon membranes with molecular sieving properties. Polymerization of furfuryl alcohol is catalyzed by Bronsted or Lewis acids. FeCl3, showing Lewis-acid behavior, is an interesting polymerization catalyst, because it gets reduced into metallic iron during pyrolysis of the resin, promoting transformation of amorphous carbon into graphitic domains....