When a reaction of sugar and sulfuric acid occurs, some form of carbon is produced. Is this carbon bonded as graphite? If not, than what is it bonded as?
$\ce{C6H12O6 ->[H2SO4] 6C + 6 H2O }$
Chemistry Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for scientists, academics, teachers, and students in the field of chemistry. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityWhen a reaction of sugar and sulfuric acid occurs, some form of carbon is produced. Is this carbon bonded as graphite? If not, than what is it bonded as?
$\ce{C6H12O6 ->[H2SO4] 6C + 6 H2O }$
The product is not pure elemental carbon, but instead an amorphous solid that consists of mostly carbon atoms, with at least 5-10% of the atoms being other elements. For example, one academic paper from 2001 found that the "carbon" formed by sulfuric acid catalyzed dehydration of sugar had a $\ce{C}:\ce{H}$ molar ratio of 14:1.
Such materials are sometimes called hydrogenated amorphous carbon.