Synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon containing highly dispersed copper–sulphur compounds in the carbon framework via a nanocasting route

We report a synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon containing highly dispersed copper–sulphur particles in its carbon framework via the nanocasting route, involving the use of SBA-15 as the template and copper(II) phthalocyanine-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt (denoted as PcS) as the single precursor. It was found that below a pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C, PcS molecules are stable, allowing the formation of stable nanocast carbon. However, at higher pyrolysis temperature, PcS molecules decompose to carbon and copper–sulphur compounds in the carbon framework, or big copper particles, depending on the conditions. The obtained carbons show tunable specific surface areas in the range of 530–980 m2/g and pore volumes in the range of 0.5–1.2 cm3/g. Using phthalocyanine as carbon precursor, it is possible to directly prepare nanocast carbon containing highly dispersed metallic nanoparticles in its skeleton.