Ordered macroporous graphenic carbon-based framework materials and their low-temperature co-sacrificial template synthesis mechanism
Kemeng Ji, Guohong Liang, Yuhao Shen, Hongxing Dai, Jiuhui Han, Yoshikazu Ito, Takeshi Fujita, Jun‐ichi Fujita, Chengyang Wang, Mingming Chen
Abstract
Ordered porous functional materials such as microporous metal-organic frameworks and mesoporous silica series have been widely explored from both science and engineering perspectives due to their unique physiochemical merits and broad potential applications. However, there is still a lack of ordered macroporous materials, particularly with high crystallinity that can effectively extend these ordering-based advantages to a larger scale. Through a facile co-sacrificial template sequential pyrolysis process using metal salts and colloidal crystals as precursors, here we have developed a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous framework material constructed by well-crystallized graphenic carbon and uniformly dispersed metallic nanocrystals down to subnanometer size, denoted as OMGCs. Through systematic experimental and theoretical verification by using various metal nitrate precursors, a unique atom-casting mechanism occurring on specific crystal surfaces of metallic salts is further revealed to explain its low-temperature formation mechanism at 290°C–300°C. These OMGCs may greatly expand the family of ordered porous framework materials for emerging applications.