One-Step Synthesis of Dicyanobenzene-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Monolayers: Porosity and Near-infrared Photoactivity

4 years ago

One-Step Synthesis of Dicyanobenzene-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Monolayers: Porosity and Near-infrared Photoactivity

Jing Tong, Junxiang Zhang, Yang Wang, Xudong Hou, Hangxun Xu, Bo Liu, Yanjun Ding, Shengjun Liu

We present a facile and one-step synthesis of a N-doped porous carbon (NPC) material by direct heating of dicyanobenzene in the presence of ZnCl2, free from any pre- or post-treatment. The resultant NPC material features graphite-like monolayers with a thickness of approximately 1.4 nm, as proven by microscopy technology. NPC shows a BET surface area of 3038.5 m2 g−1 and a narrow pore-size distribution centered at 0.51 nm. As a consequence, NPC displays a high H2 uptake of up to 2.96 wt % at 77 K and a CO2 adsorption capability of 23.4 wt % at 278 K and 0.1 MPa. N-doping leads to extension of the optical absorption of NPC into the near-infrared (NIR) region. This N-decorated carbon material, as the first example of a NIR-triggered carbon photocatalyst, exhibits pronounced H2 production capabilities. Carbonization of aromatic multinitriles would be a general and facile approach to prepare multifunctional N-doped carbon materials for gas storage and full solar spectrum driven photocatalysts. Beneath the layers: N-doped porous carbon (NPC) monolayers are synthesized and show great potential for gas storage with a H2 uptake of up to 2.96 wt % at 77 K and a CO2 adsorption capability of 23.4 wt % at 278 K and 0.1 MPa. This N-decorated carbon material, as the first near-IR (NIR)-triggered carbon photocatalyst, exhibits pronounced H2 production capabilities under full solar spectrum and NIR irradiation. NP=nanoparticle, TEA=triethylamine.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201700724