Template Infiltration Routes to Ordered Macroporous TiN and SiN_x Films

Abstract

Ordered macroporous films of nanocrystalline TiN and amorphous SiN x on silica substrates have been prepared. This involved infiltration of sacrificial templates of close-packed polystyrene microsphere arrays with precursor materials, followed by pyrolysis under ammonia to remove the template and form the ceramic materials. TiN was prepared from a sol-gel route, whereas SiN x was introduced using a Si(NHMe) 4 precursor solution. Hexane was found to be the solvent most compatible with the divinylbenzene-cross-linked polystyrene template and was used for both materials.

Nitrogen-rich transition metal nitrides

“…The amorphous Ti 3 N 4 structure was studied using X-ray absorption and EXAFS techniques that showed the local atomic configurations were based on the TiN rocksalt (Fm-3m) structure, but with 40-50% vacancies on the cation and anion sites [85]. Similar products are obtained when titanium dialkylamides are reacted with primary amines then pyrolysed under ammonia [87,88]. Reactions of Zr 4+ and Hf 4+ amides with ammonia did produce well defined M 3 N 4 phases, though these were poorly crystalline [89], and could contain nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous matrix as found for Ti 3 N 4 .…”

Solution Phase Preparative Routes to Nitride Morphologies of Interest in Catalysis

“…Very recently the synthesis of ordered macroporous films (inverse opals) of nanocrystalline TiN has also been described using this deposition chemistry [29]. The sol was infiltrated into close-packed polystyrene microsphere arrays, followed by pyrolysis under ammonia to remove the template.…”

Fabrication of superparamagnetic macroporous Fe3O4 and its derivates using colloidal crystals as templates

“…A lot of macroporous materials including inorganic, organic, metallic, polymeric, and ceramic have been successfully made using this method [19][20][21][22]. Both organic and inorganic macroporous materials are very interesting for theoretical research and practical applications such as making optical filters, switches, chemical sensors, electrochemical cells, and bio-separation devices, and as carriers for catalysts and medicines [23][24][25][26].…”