Synthesis and characterization of functionalized ordered hexagonal nanoporous carbon nitride with melamine-based dendrimer amines

Mesoporous carbon nitride (MCN-1) and functionalized MCN-1 with melamine-based dendrimer amine (MDA-MCN-1) have been synthesized. These materials are characterized by means of nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Two bands at 1,434 and 1,550 cm^?1 in FT-IR spectrum of MDA-MCN-1 are clear evidence of an aromatic triazine ring and confirm that the melamine-based dendrimer is formed. The pore diameter is centered at 4.74 nm with a relatively high BET surface area of 102.2 m² g^?1 and a pore volume of 0.12 cm³ g^?1. TGA curves show that samples (MCN-1 and MDA-MCN-1) have high thermal stability compared to the earlier species. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio calculated from the EDX analysis significantly decreases from 3.87–4.35 to 1.26 in MDA-MCN-1 than MCN-1 material. This indicates that MDA-MCN-1 has high nitrogen content and active adsorption sites in comparison to MCN-1 species.