Carbonaceous materials derived from saccharides by hydrothermal processing

[Truncated abstract] This PhD thesis reports a study on hydrothermal processing of saccharides, with the aim to create functional carbonaceous materials. The materials concerned are recognized to have potential applications as an anode material for lithium ion batteries, as an electrode in supercapacitors, and as a template material for fabrication of functional nanostructures. The carbonization process investigated also has the potential for carbon sequestration from plant biomass. Motivated by these promises, the study focuses on the fundamental science as well as the processing conditions involved in the creation of carbonaceous spheres by hydrothermal processing from several saccharides including fructose, glucose, sucrose and starch. The thesis is written as a compilation of publications, including those published, submitted and fully prepared for submission. It contains three parts: (1) the investigation on formation and growth mechanisms of carbonaceous spheres from fructose solution via a hydrothermal process; (2) the commonality of formation processes of carbonaceous spheres from different saccharides; and (3) the investigation on pyrolytic treatment of these carbonaceous spheres. (1) Hydrophobic precipitation of carbonaceous solids during hydrothermal processing of fructose The main contribution of this PhD study is the establishment of a new mechanism for the formation of carbonaceous spheres by hydrothermal dehydration of fructose.