Porous N-doped carbon with various hollow-cored morphologies nanocast using zeolite templates via chemical vapour deposition

Abstract

The synthesis of porous nitrogen-doped carbon materials with various hollow-cored morphologies has been achieved via a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) route that utilizes acetonitrile as carbon source and zeolites as solid template. The morphology of the hollow-cored carbons is controlled by the choice of solid template (Zeolite β or Silicalite-I) and carbonization conditions (i.e., CVD temperature). In particular, high surface area (up to 2200 m 2 /g) hollow hexagonal shells of N-doped carbon that possess graphitic characteristics have been obtained using zeolite β as the solid template. In addition graphitic forms of hollow cubic, rectangular, and spherical porous carbon materials have been synthesized using silicalite-I as the solid template.