The evolution during oxidation of the internal structure of soot and carbon black
particles was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)
and an image analysis system. Increasing ordering to the carbon structure with increasing
oxidation is observed. Measures of the increased order are increases in the fractional
coverage of a cross section of the particles with a layered structure, a decrease
in the mean interlayer spacing, and a decrease in the spread of the interlayer spacing.
The changing structure of the carbon black impacts its properties, such as the rate
of oxidation.
