Synthesis and characterisation of nanoporous carbide-derived carbon by chlorination of vanadium carbide

Nanoporous carbide-derived carbon (CDC) was synthesised from vanadium carbide (VC) powder via gas phase chlorination in the temperature range from 500 to 1100 °C. The XRD analysis of nanoporous carbon powder samples was carried out to investigate the structural changes (graphitisation) of nanoporous carbons synthesised. The first-order Raman spectra showed the absorption peak at ∼1582 cm−1 and the disorder-induced (D) peak at ∼1345 cm−1. The low-temperature N2 adsorption experiments were performed and a specific surface area up to 1305 m2 g−1 and total pore volume up to 0.66 cm3 g−1 were obtained.