Adjusting the texture and nitrogen content of ordered mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon materials prepared using SBA-15 silica as a template

Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon (N-MC) with highly ordered two dimensional hexagonal structures has been synthesized using diaminobenzene (DAB) as carbon and nitrogen sources, ammonium peroxydisulfate (APDS) as an oxidant, and SBA-15 as a hard template. The effect of synthesis temperatures and precursors on the textures and nitrogen content of the N-MC is investigated. By adjusting the synthesis temperatures in a range of 70–100 °C, the pore diameter of the N-MC materials can be tuned from 3.43 to 4.15 nm, while the specific surface area of the N-MC with a nitrogen content of 26.5 wt.%, can be tuned from 281.8 to 535.2 m2/g. The C/N molar ratio of the N-MC can be tuned in a range of 3.25–3.65 by adjusting the mole ratio of DAB/APDS precursors at a synthesis temperature of 80 °C, while the pore diameter of the N-MC be tuned in a range of 4.12–3.66 nm. With the nitrogen doping content increasing, the lattice constant of N-MC materials decreases. Investigation indicates that well ordered N-MC materials with large specific surface area, high total pore volume and high nitrogen content can be fabricated under a synthesis temperature of 80 °C and a molar ratio of 1.5 for DAB/APDS precursors.