Synthesis of SBA-15/carbon composite with an ink-bottle-like pore structure by a novel pulse CVD technique

A novel and easy post modification method, pulse chemical vapor deposition (pulse CVD), was developed to tailor the pore-opening of SBA-15 while largely keeping its surface area and pore volume. By using acetylene as carbon precursor and nitrogen as carrier gas, the pore-mouth of SBA-15 was effectively reduced from 8.1 nm to 5.1 nm within 5 min while maintaining the pore body at 8.1 nm. This ink-bottle-structured SBA-15/carbon composite only losses 12% BET specific surface area and 16% total pore volume, respectively. The SBA-15/carbon composite is highly hexagonally ordered and has similar particle morphology as the original SBA-15. The effect of three pore modification factors—the number of cycles of pulse CVD, the ratio of acetylene/nitrogen and the feeding time of carbon precursor, on the final pore structure of the SBA-15/carbon composite is also studied.     

Oxygen reduction activity dependence on the mesoporous structure of imprinted carbon supports

Two mesoporous carbons (with 15 (CIC-15) and 26 nm (CIC-26) diameter pores) were synthesized using a silica colloid imprinting method, loaded with 10 wt.% Pt, and then evaluated (against Vulcan^? carbon (VC)) as oxygen reduction (ORR) catalysts for use in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Both Pt/CICs reproducibly out-performed Pt/VC, with Pt/CIC-15 demonstrating higher ORR activity than Pt/CIC-26, despite its smaller pore size and lower surface area. Transmission electron tomography showed that the Pt nanoparticles (4–5 nm diameter) are fully deposited throughout the pores of the CICs and that the pore distribution in CIC-26 is partially ordered, while CIC-15 shows no ordering of its pores. Importantly, using the powerful imaging capabilities of transmission electron tomography, a first-time correlation is demonstrated between the ORR activity and the wall thickness of the carbon support materials. Pt/CIC-15 has significantly thicker walls, giving a lower measured electronic resistance, a lower ORR Tafel slope, and thus better performance overall compared to Pt/CIC-26.     

SBA-15的孔壁碳膜修饰对钴基催化剂结构与催化性能的影响

在惰性气体中焙烧SBA-15制得孔壁被碳修饰的SBA- 15C样品,以它和SBA-15为载体,采用等量浸渍法制备了负载型Co基催化剂,并运用X射线衍射、N2物理吸附、程序升温还原、NH3吸附量热等手段对样品进行了表征.结果表明,SBA- 15C仍保持原有的六方有序的中孔结构,但其孔壁经碳修饰后发生增厚,比表面积略有下降...     

Synthesis of graphitic ordered macroporous carbon with a three-dimensional interconnected pore structure for electrochemical applications

In this study, ordered macroporous carbon with a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected pore structure and a graphitic pore wall was prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of benzene using inverse silica opal as the template. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectrometry, nitrogen adsorption, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques were used to characterize the carbon samples. The electrochemical properties of the carbon materials as a carbon-based anode for lithium-ion batteries and as a Pt catalyst support for room-temperature methanol electrochemical oxidation were examined. It was observed that the CVD method is a simple route to fabrication of desired carbon nanostructures, affording a carbon with graphitic pore walls and uniform pores. The graphitic nature of the carbon enhances the rate performance and cyclability in lithium-ion batteries. The specific capacity was found to be further improved when SnO(2) nanoparticles were supported on the carbon. The specific activity of Pt catalyst supported on the carbon materials for room-temperature methanol electrochemical oxidation was observed to be higher than that of a commercial Pt catalyst (E-TEK).     

利用ＳＢＡ-１５介孔内纳米碳合成含介孔的ＺＳＭ-５分子筛

SBA-15介孔分子筛内填充蔗糖并炭化后, 分别在碱性和弱酸性条件下, 用含铝源及TPABr的溶液浸渍,将SBA-15分子筛孔壁的无定形结构转化成ZSM-5分子筛的晶体结构, 除碳后得到含介孔的ZSM-5分子筛. 用X射线衍射、 N_2吸附-脱附、 ~(27)Al MAS NMR、 NH_3-TPD、 TEM、 SEM等对样品进行了表征, 考察了晶化时间等参数对样品的影响. 结果表明, 碱性条件下合成的ZSM-5分子筛晶体中含有少量孔径约3.2～4.2 nm的介孔孔道, 其酸强度接近与常规ZSM-5分子筛的酸强度;弱酸性条件下合成的ZSM-5分子筛晶体中含有大量孔径约1.4～1.6 nm的孔道, 其酸强度明显低于常规ZSM-5分子筛的酸强度.     

Self-assembly of a metallosupramolecular coordination polyelectrolyte in the pores of SBA-15 and MCM-41 silica

It is shown that intrinsically stiff chain aggregates of a metallosupramolecular coordination polyelectrolyte (MEPE) can form in the cylindrical nanopores of MCM-41 and SBA-15 silica by self-assembly of its constituents (metal ions and organic ligand). The UV/vis spectra of the resulting MEPE-silica composites exhibit the characteristic metal-to-ligand charge transfer band of the MEPE complex in solution. For the MEPE-silica composite in SBA-15 an iron content of 1.2 wt % was found, corresponding to ca. 10 MEPE chains disposed side by side in the 8 nm wide pores of the SBA-15 matrix. In the case of MCM-41 (pore width < 3 nm), where only one MEPE chain per pore can be accommodated, an iron content of 0.3 wt % was obtained, corresponding to half-filling of the pores. It was also found that MEPE chains spontaneously enter the pores of SBA-15, when a solution of MEPE is exposed to the silica matrix.     

Ordered mesoporous platinum@graphitic carbon embedded nanophase as a highly active, stable, and methanol-tolerant oxygen reduction electrocatalyst

Highly ordered mesoporous platinum@graphitic carbon (Pt@GC) composites with well-graphitized carbon frameworks and uniformly dispersed Pt nanoparticles embedded within the carbon pore walls have been rationally designed and synthesized. In this facile method, ordered mesoporous silica impregnated with a variable amount of Pt precursor is adopted as the hard template, followed by carbon deposition through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process with methane as a carbon precursor. During the CVD process, in situ reduction of Pt precursor, deposition of carbon, and graphitization can be integrated into a single step. The mesostructure, porosity and Pt content in the final mesoporous Pt@GC composites can be conveniently adjusted over a wide range by controlling the initial loading amount of Pt precursor and the CVD temperature and duration. The integration of high surface area, regular mesopores, graphitic nature of the carbon walls as well as highly dispersed and spatially embedded Pt nanoparticles in the mesoporous Pt@GC composites make them excellent as highly active, extremely stable, and methanol-tolerant electrocatalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A systematic study by comparing the ORR performance among several carbon supported Pt electrocatalysts suggests the overwhelmingly better performance of the mesoporous Pt@GC composites. The structural, textural, and framework properties of the mesoporous Pt@GC composites are extensively studied and strongly related to their excellent ORR performance. These materials are highly promising for fuel cell applications and the synthesis method is quite applicable for constructing mesoporous graphitized carbon materials with various embedded nanophases.     

Facile method to synthesize platelet SBA-15 silica with highly ordered large mesopores

Highly ordered mesoporous SBA-15 silica with large pore diameter of 18 nm (nominal BJH pore diameter ~22 nm) and short pore length (~500 nm) was synthesized using a micelle expander 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene in the absence of ammonium fluoride by employing short initial stirring time at 17 °C followed by static aging at low temperature. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed that the material comprised of platelet particles in which large mesopores were nearly flawlessly arranged within uniform domains up to 3 μm in size. The platelet SBA-15 had the (100) interplanar spacing of 17 nm, high surface area (~470 m(2) g(-1)) and large pore volume (~1.6 cm(3) g(-1)). The hydrothermal treatment at 130 °C for 2 days was employed to eliminate constrictions from the pore channels. The control experiment showed that a sample prepared with prolonged stirring had very similar mesoporous properties, but the particle size was smaller and the domains were irregular, proving that the static conditions facilitate the formation of SBA-15 with platelet particle morphology. The absence of ammonium fluoride was also critical in attaining the platelet particle shape.     

NMR provides checklist of generic properties for atomic-scale models of periodic mesoporous silicas

MCM-41 and SBA-15 silicas were studied by (29)Si solid-state NMR and (15)N NMR in the presence of (15)N-pyridine with the aim to formulate generic structural parameters that may be used as a checklist for atomic-scale structural models of this class of ordered mesoporous materials. High-quality MCM-41 silica constitutes quasi-ideal arrays of uniform-size pores with thin pore walls, while SBA-15 silica has thicker pore walls with framework and surface defects. The numbers of silanol (Q(3)) and silicate (Q(4)) groups were found to be in the ratio of about 1:3 for MCM-41 and about 1:4 for our SBA-15 materials. Combined with the earlier finding that the density of surface silanol groups is about three per nm(2) in MCM-41 (Shenderovich, et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107, 11924) this allows us to discriminate between different atomic-scale models of these materials. Neither tridymite nor edingtonite meet both of these requirements. On the basis of the hexagonal pore shape model, the experimental Q(3):Q(4) ratio yields a wall thickness of about 0.95 nm for MCM-41 silica, corresponding to the width of ca. four silica tetrahedra. The arrangement of Q(3) groups at the silica surfaces was analyzed using postsynthesis surface functionalization. It was found that the number of covalent bonds to the surface formed by the functional reagents is affected by the surface morphology. It is concluded that for high-quality MCM-41 silicas the distance between neighboring surface silanol groups is greater than 0.5 nm. As a result, di- and tripodical reagents like (CH(3))(2)Si(OH)(2) and CH(3)Si(OH)(3) can form only one covalent bond to the surface. The residual hydroxyl groups of surface-bonded functional reagents either remain free or interact with other reagent molecules. Accordingly, the number of surface silanol groups at a given MCM-41 or SBA-15 silica may not decrease but increase after treatment with CH(3)Si(OH)(3) reagent. On the other hand, nearly all surface silanol groups could be functionalized when HN(Si(CH(3))(3))(2) was used.     

Pore size tailoring in large-pore SBA-15 silica synthesized in the presence of hexane

Large-pore SBA-15 silicas were synthesized using poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer Pluronic P123 as a template and hexane as a micelle expander. The reaction was initially carried out at 15 degrees C, followed by the heating of the synthesis gel at temperatures from 40 to 130 degrees C. Small-angle X-ray scattering data indicate that highly ordered two-dimensional hexagonal material (SBA-15 structure) formed at 15 degrees C and was preserved even after 5 days of heating at 130 degrees C. The unit-cell parameter for as-synthesized SBA-15 silicas was about 16.5 nm and increased only slightly after the heat treatment, whereas the unit-cell parameter after calcination was appreciably larger (16 vs 14 nm) for materials that were subjected to the thermal treatment. The pore size distribution of SBA-15 formed at 15 degrees C was narrow and centered at approximately 9.5 nm, which is close to the upper limit of pore diameters typically reported for SBA-15. The presence of constrictions in the pores of this material was evident. The heat treatment led to the elimination of the constrictions and to the pore diameter increase to 15 nm or more, tailored by the selection of appropriate treatment temperature and time. The pore size increase was the fastest during the first day of treatment, but it continued for at least 5 days. The pore size distribution broadened as the time of the treatment increased beyond 1 day. The pore size increase appears to be primarily related to the decrease in the degree of shrinkage during the calcination (removal of the template) and the decrease in the pore wall thickness.     

Controlled growth of mesostructured crystalline iron oxide nanowires and Fe-filled carbon nanotube arrays templated by mesoporous silica SBA-16 film

The three-dimensional (3D) accessible pore structures (Imm space groups) of continuous mesoporous silica SBA-16 thin films have been prepared by a dip-coating technique in nonaqueous media under acidic conditions on indium-tin oxide glass (ITO). The films are oriented with the (111) crystal plane perpendicular to the surface of the film. On one hand, deposition of iron metal into the mesopores of SBA-16 films was achieved by using an electrochemical method. The Fe2O3 nanowire arrays were synthesized. The crystalline structures of porous Fe2O3 nanowires and nanorods were studied via TEM, SEM, and XRD. On the other hand, a small amount of Fe was deposited into the pores of the SBA-16 thin film as a catalyst, and carbon nanotube arrays formed inside the pores of SBA-16 film were fabricated by catalytic decomposition of acetylene at 700 degrees C. The second-order template synthesis method for preparing the ordered array of carbon nanotubes filled with Fe has been used. The carbon nanotubes are very uniform in diameter and length and are aligned vertically with respect to the SBA-16 film.     

A facile approach for constructing nitrogen-doped carbon layers over carbon nanotube surface for oxygen reduction reaction

Fabricating nitrogen-doped carbon layers over the conductive substrate is a cost-effective and efficient approach to develop practical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst. In the current work, relying on the commercially available carbon nanotube (CNT), nitrogen-doped carbon layers over CNT is constructed by annealing the in situ formed complex over the CNT surface derived from iron ion inducing diaminonaphthalene (DAN) polymerization and DAN self-polymerization. Physical and electrochemical characterizations are carefully conducted to comparatively analyze the structure and activity relationship. The significance of iron in constructing nitrogen-doped carbon layers and tuning active sites of N types over multiwall carbon nanotube for ORR is demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman scattering spectrum. The excellent performance of nitrogen-doped carbon layers over CNT (catalyzed by iron) towards ORR is displayed by rotating ring-disk electrode. Specifically, the onset potential, half-wave potential, and limiting current density are 0.961 V, 0.831 V, and 5.20 mA cm^?2 respectively, very close to the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst. Both high surface area and efficient N active sites should be considered in the nitrogen-doped carbon materials design and fabrication for ORR. Considering the large-scale availability, it has significant value in fuel cells commercial applications.     

Assembling wormlike micelles in tubular nanopores by tuning surfactant-wall interactions

Threadlike molecular assemblies are excluded from narrow pores unless attractive interactions with the confining pore walls compensate for the loss of configurational entropy. Here we show that wormlike surfactant micelles can be assembled in the 8 nm tubular nanopores of SBA-15 silica by adjusting the surfactant-pore-wall interactions. The modulation of the interactions was achieved by coadsorption of a surface modifier that also provides control over the partitioning of wormlike aggregates between the bulk solution and the pore space. We anticipate that the concept of tuning the interactions with the pore wall will be applicable to a wide variety of self-assembling molecules and pores.     

氮掺杂竹节状碳纳米管的催化合成

以有机胺为碳和氮源, 用催化方法合成出了含氮大管径竹节状碳纳米管. Fe/SBA-15分子筛为催化剂, 有机胺经过973 K高温裂解得到氮掺杂竹节状碳纳米管材料(CN_X). 比较了铁含量、二乙胺和六次甲基四胺原料对合成氮掺杂碳纳米管形貌和氮掺杂量的影响; 合成出氮碳比(N/C原子比)为0.26的氮掺杂竹节状碳纳米管材料.     

Schiff碱改性法制备SBA-15型介孔分子筛负载的纳米氧化镍

基于Schiff碱功能单体的改性作用,采用共缩聚方法,制备了SBA-15型介孔分子筛负载的氧化镍纳米粒子。 采用小角X射线散射（small angle XRD）、广角X射线衍射（wide angle XRD）、紫外-可见光谱（UV-Vis）、高分辨透射电子显微镜（HRTEM）和N2吸附-脱附测定对制得的样品进行了表征。 结果表明,制得的样品具有SBA-15型介孔分子筛典型的二维六方有序结构,NiO纳米粒子主要分布于SBA-15型介孔分子筛的孔道内。 当功能单体的含量不超过10%时,SBA-15型介孔分子筛的孔径在6~8 nm范围内;而当功能单体的含量达到15%时,SBA-15型介孔分子筛的孔道被严重堵塞,孔径降为3.8 nm。 NiO纳米粒子的尺寸随着功能单体含量的增加而增大。     

Ru/SBA-15的制备及其对水煤气变换反应的催化作用

制备了中孔分子筛SBA-15,以SBA-15为载体采用真空浸渍法制备了负载型Ru基水煤气变换反应的催化剂。利用透射电子显微镜、X-射线粉末衍射等方法对样品进行了表征。结果表明,合成的SBA-15分子筛孔径约为8 nm,粒径约为1 nm的Ru纳米粒子均匀分布在分子筛孔道中,添加适量的La2O3助剂可以显著提高催化剂的低温活性。当Ru和La2O3的负载量分别为4%和8%时,R4L8/SBA-15催化剂对CO转化率在255℃和265℃下分别达到56%和98%。     

Improvement of the Kruk-Jaroniec-Sayari method for pore size analysis of ordered silicas with cylindrical mesopores

In this work, the X-ray diffraction structure modeling was employed for analysis of hexagonally ordered large-pore silicas, SBA-15, to determine their pore width independently of adsorption measurements. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms were used to evaluate the relative pressure of capillary condensation in cylindrical mesopores of these materials. This approach allowed us to extend the original Kruk-Jaroniec-Sayari (KJS) relation (Langmuir 1997, 13, 6267) between the pore width and capillary condensation pressure up to 10 nm instead of previously established range from 2 to 6.5 nm for a series of MCM-41 and to improve the KJS pore size analysis of large pore silicas.     

热解条件对氮杂有序介孔炭材料电催化性能的影响

氧还原反应是燃料电池及金属空气电池中极其重要的电化学反应之一,贵金属铂基催化剂被认为是最有效的氧还原反应电催化剂.然而,贵金属铂的资源稀缺以及高成本问题阻碍了相关技术的大规模应用,探索发展廉价高效的贵金属替代型催化剂是推动燃料电池发展的根本解决方案.近年来,人们在非贵金属催化剂开发方面取得了显著进展,其中新型纳米结构掺杂炭材料研究尤为活跃.氮杂有序介孔炭材料由于其高比表面积和独特的孔结构,在燃料电池技术上具有广泛的应用前景.在氮杂有序介孔炭材料的制备过程中,热解条件对炭材料组成、结构及电催化性能有着重要影响.然而,目前尚未见对氮杂炭材料制备过程中热解条件的影响进行系统研究.
　　本文采用我们发展的蒸汽化-毛细管冷凝法,以SBA-15为硬模板浸渍前驱体吡咯,制备出具有高比表面积和独特孔结构的氮杂有序介孔炭材料,系统研究了热解条件(包括热解温度、热解时间和升温速率)对炭材料组成、结构及电催化性能的影响,采用N2吸附-脱附等温线、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)及Raman光谱等方法考察了氮杂有序介孔炭材料的结构和组成,采用循环伏安法与旋转环盘电极研究了其电化学行为与氧还原反应电催化活性及选择性.
　　N2吸附-脱附等温线显示,氮杂炭材料对应IV型吸附-脱附等温线,孔径主要分布在2–10 nm,表明所制材料具有介孔结构.随着热处理温度升高,氮杂有序介孔炭材料比表面积先增加而后降低,热处理时间的延长有利于比表面积增大,但升温速率对所制炭材料比表面积没有明显影响,当升温速率为30 oC/min,900 oC焙烧3 h时,氮杂有序介孔炭材料的比表面积达到最大值888 m2/g. XPS测试结果表明,随着热处理温度升高,氮杂有序介孔炭材料中含氮基团的分解进一步加深,使N含量逐渐降低.延长热处理时间亦然,而升温速率的改变对N含量无明显影响.在热处理温度较低时(600 oC),所得材料中N主要以吡咯氮和吡啶氮的形式存在;当温度达到800 oC以上,吡咯氮转化为吡啶氮和骨架氮,且主要以骨架氮形式存在,说明氮杂有序介孔炭材料的石墨化程度逐渐升高. Raman光谱结果显示,随着热处理温度升高, ID/IG逐渐降低,进一步印证了温度对石墨化程度的影响.
　　电化学测试结果表明,随着热处理温度升高,氮杂有序介孔炭材料的氧还原反应电催化活性逐渐升高,但是当热处理温度从900 oC升至1000 oC时,氧还原反应活性增加很小;升温速率与热处理时间对氧还原反应电催化活性的影响均不明显.与商品Pt/C催化剂相比,900 oC以上所制催化剂均表现出更优异的氧还原电催化活性与选择性.由此可见,热处理温度是决定碳源热化学行为的关键因素,进而决定炭材料表面组成与结构.电化学研究结果表明,800 oC以上进行热处理碳化,所生成石墨化微晶可有效促进电子传递,降低欧姆极化损失,同时,较高的处理温度可促进骨架氮掺杂,从而构建出高效氧还原反应活性位点.因此,氮杂型炭催化剂的组成、结构与电化学性能更多地受控于热处理过程中的热力学,而非热解动力学过程.     

Nitrogen-doped ordered porous carbon catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Three different N-doped ordered porous carbons (CNx) were produced by a nanocasting process using polyaniline as the carbon and nitrogen precursor. A pyrolysis treatment of iron chloride-impregnated CNx under nitrogen is used in the preparation of the carbon composite catalysts, and this is followed by posttreatments and optimization of the iron loading and the pore size. Exploration of the catalytic activity of the CNx products for catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using rotating disk electrode measurements and single-cell tests shows that the onset potential for ORR of the most effective catalyst in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ is as high as 0.9 V vs. the normal hydrogen electrode. A proton exchange membrane fuel cell constructed with the catalyst exhibits a current density as high as 0.52 A cm^?2 at 0.6 V with 2 atm back pressure using a cathode catalyst loading of 6 mg cm^?2. The average pore diameters of synthesized CNx-12, CNx-15, and CNx-16 are 0.7, 4.3, and 14 nm, respectively. It is observed that the pore size and specific surface area are an important factor for increased catalyst activity. The pore size of the most effective catalysts is found to be 4.3 nm.     

Mechanism of freezing of water in contact with mesoporous silicas MCM-41, SBA-15 and SBA-16: role of boundary water of pore outlets in freezing

The freezing mechanism of water contacted with mesoporous silicas with uniform pore shapes, both cylindrical and cagelike, was studied by thermodynamic and structural analyses with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) together with adsorption measurements. In the DSC data extra exothermic peaks were found at around 230 K for water confined in SBA-15, in addition to that due to the freezing of pore water. These peaks are most likely to be ascribed to the freezing of water present over the micropore and/or mesopore outlets of coronas in SBA-15. Freezing of water confined in SBA-16 was systematically analysed by DSC with changing the pore size. The freezing temperature was found to be around 232 K, close to the homogeneous nucleation temperature of bulk water, independent of the pore size when the pore diameter (d) < 7.0 nm. Water confined in the cagelike pores of SBA-16 is probably surrounded by a water layer (boundary water) at the outlets of channels to interconnect the pores and of fine corona-like pores, which is similar to that present at the outlet of cylindrical pores in MCM-41 and of cylindrical channels in SBA-15. The presence of the boundary water would be a key for water in SBA-16 to freeze at the homogeneous nucleation temperature. This phenomenon is similar to those well known for water droplets in oil and water droplets of clouds in the sky. The XRD data showed that the cubic ice I(c) was formed in SBA-16 as previously found in SBA-15 when d < 8.0 nm.