Article

Room‐Temperature Carbide‐Derived Carbon Synthesis by Electrochemical Etching of MAX Phases

Maria R. LukatskayaA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Joseph HalimA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Boris DyatkinA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Michael NaguibA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Yulia BuranovaA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Michel W. BarsoumA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)Yury GogotsiA. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

2014en

ABI

Abstract

Abstract Porous carbons are widely used in energy storage and gas separation applications, but their synthesis always involves high temperatures. Herein we electrochemically selectively extract, at ambient temperature, the metal atoms from the ternary layered carbides, Ti 3 AlC 2 , Ti 2 AlC and Ti 3 SiC 2 (MAX phases). The result is a predominantly amorphous carbide‐derived carbon, with a narrow distribution of micropores. The latter is produced by placing the carbides in HF, HCl or NaCl solutions and applying anodic potentials. The pores that form when Ti 3 AlC 2 is etched in dilute HF are around 0.5 nm in diameter. This approach forgoes energy‐intensive thermal treatments and presents a novel method for developing carbons with finely tuned pores for a variety of applications, such as supercapacitor, battery electrodes or CO 2 capture.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1002/ange.201402513

Citations and references

Cited by 20 references

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