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Block Copolymer Templating as a Path to Porous Nanostructured Carbons with Highly Accessible Nitrogens for Enhanced (Electro)chemical Performance
Author(s) -
McGann John P.,
Zhong Mingjiang,
Kim Eun Kyung,
Natesakhawat Sittichai,
Jaroniec Mietek,
Whitacre Jay F.,
Matyjaszewski Krzysztof,
Kowalewski Tomasz
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201100691
Subject(s) - copolymer , polyacrylonitrile , carbonization , materials science , electrochemistry , carbon fibers , graphene , mesoporous material , porosity , chemical engineering , nitrogen , polymer chemistry , block (permutation group theory) , nanotechnology , chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry , electrode , catalysis , composite material , composite number , scanning electron microscope , geometry , mathematics , engineering
The design of carbon materials for improved electrochemical systems should combine the preferential occurrence of pyridinic functionalities and a structure that maximizes their exposure to the surface. The carbonization of nitrogen‐rich polyacrylonitrile (PAN) retains a high level of nitrogen content, with a large percentage of the functionalities taking the form of pyridinic species at the graphene edges. A block copolymer precursor containing PAN and a second thermally sacrificial block can be converted to a nitrogen‐rich carbon material with a mesoporous network mimicking that of the precursor. Here, we highlight the structural advantages of this templating approach and their improvement in several electrochemical systems.