One-step simple calcination of Ni@C(N) core-shell microspheres: Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol, supercapacitor and electrocatalytic hydrogen production

Abstract

Ni@C(N) core-shell microspheres have been successfully fabricated through simple thermal decomposition method at different temperature (700, 800 and 900 ℃) in N2 atmosphere. The morphological and structural characterizations of the as-prepared Ni@C(N) samples were explored through a series of technical means, which included X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The as-prepared materials as multi-function in the fields of catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol, supercapacitors and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution have been also studied in detail. The experimental results showed that Ni@C(N)_700, which calcined at 700 ℃, has the best performance in catalytic and supercapacitor. This study shows that the NH3 atmosphere generated by the pyrolysis of melamine can be used to reduce more metal nanoparticles, which will provide a possibility for the preparation of non-noble metal core-shell nanomaterials with good catalytic and electrochemical activities.