Preparation of onion-like carbon with high nitrogen content (∼15%) from pyridine

A new procedure of pyridine pyrolysis is suggested. It allows preparation of onion-like carbon with high nitrogen content (∼15%) as a promising material for producing lubricants, adsorbents, and catalysts. The distinctive features of the mechanisms leading to the formation of carbon onion structures with different nitrogen carbon contents are discussed. High-nitrogen carbon is formed from pyridine molecules via their polymerization and polycondensation in the reaction flow and is transported with this flow into low-temperature zone of the reaction space. Onion structures of large size with low nitrogen content (