Chemistry of carbonization

Considerable progress towards understanding the chemistry of carbonization has been achieved through the efforts of a large number of investigators. Advanced analytical techniques such as: chromatographic methods, thermal analysis, mass spectroscopy, and electron and nuclear magnetic resonance, have enhanced our ability to characterize carbonaceous materials. Structural studies using X-ray have demonstrated the relationships of starting structure to final graphitizability. Reaction studies, using model compounds have shown the importance of molecular rearrangement and dehydrogenative polymerization on the overall carbonization process.