Micelle-template synthesis of nitrogen-doped mesoporous graphene as an efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for hydrogen production.

ABSTRACT: Synthesis of mesoporous graphene materials by soft-template methods remains a great challenge, owing to the poor self-assembly capability of precursors and the severe agglomeration of graphene nanosheets. Herein, a micelle-template strategy to prepare porous graphene materials with controllable mesopores, high specific surface areas and large pore volumes is reported. By fine-tuning the synthesis parameters, the pore sizes of mesoporous graphene can be rationally controlled. Nitrogen heteroatom doping is found to remarkably render electrocatalytic properties towards hydrogen evolution reactions as a highly efficient metal-free catalyst. The synthesis strategy and the demonstration of highly efficient catalytic effect provide benchmarks for preparing well-defined mesoporous graphene materials for energy production applications.

SUBMITTER: Huang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4271267 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature