The key characteristics of the porous carbon materials and ceramic composites derived from citrates are directly affected by the pyrolysis mechanism of parent citrates and the microstructural revolution during the process. The pyrolysis mechanism of magnesium citrate nonahydrate (MCN) and the microstructural evolution during its pyrolysis were investigated by analysing the C/MgO nanocomposite powders from MCN pyrolyzed in carbon embedded condition and flowing argon atmosphere. The pyrolysis process of MCN was composed of the following stages: (1) MCN dehydrated to magnesium citrate at about 150 °C; (2) magnesium citrate decomposed into itaconic acid magnesium and MgO at about 300 °C; (3) itaconic acid magnesium decomposed into carbon, MgO and CH₄ at around 500 °C; (4) CH₄ was pyrolyzed and graphene was deposited on MgO. The carbon produced in stage (3) was turbostratic while that derived from the pyrolysis-deposition of CH₄ was few-layered-graphene. The MgO nano grains produced in stage (2) precipitated and agglomerated while those derived from itaconic acid magnesium were much smaller in size. In carbon embedded condition, the few-layered-graphene not only deposited on the MgO aggregates surface but also inserted into the MgO nano grain boundaries, which suppressed the growth and sintering of MgO nano grains.

由柠檬酸盐衍生的多孔碳材料和陶瓷复合材料的关键特性直接受到母体柠檬酸盐的热解机制和过程中微观结构革命的影响。通过分析在碳嵌入条件下和流动的氩气气氛中热解来自 MCN 的 C/MgO 纳米复合粉末，研究了九水柠檬酸镁 (MCN) 的热解机制及其热解过程中的微观结构演变。MCN的热解过程由以下几个阶段组成：（1）MCN在150℃左右脱水成柠檬酸镁；(2)柠檬酸镁在300℃左右分解为衣康酸镁和MgO；(3)衣康酸镁在500℃左右分解为碳、MgO和CH ₄；(4) CH ₄热解并在氧化镁上沉积石墨烯。阶段(3)中产生的碳是湍层的，而源自CH ₄热解-沉积的碳是少层石墨烯。在阶段（2）中产生的 MgO 纳米颗粒沉淀并团聚，而源自衣康酸镁的那些颗粒尺寸要小得多。在碳嵌入条件下，少层石墨烯不仅沉积在 MgO 聚集体表面，而且还嵌入到 MgO 纳米晶界中，抑制了 MgO 纳米颗粒的生长和烧结。