Azafullerene-like nanosized clusters.
Carbon nitride materials have extraordinary potential in various applications, including catalysts, filled-particles, and superhard materials. Carbon nitride nanoclusters have been prepared under mild solvothermal conditions by a reaction between 1,3,5-trichlotriazine and sodium azide in toluene. The bulk material formed has a C(3)N(4) composition and consists of spheres with diameters ranging from approximately 1 nm to 4 mum. Nanometer-sized clusters of C(3)N(4) stoichiometry have been isolated on surfaces by sublimation or simple physicochemical methods. The clusters have then been characterized by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The laser desorption ionization mass spectra show peaks assignable to the C(12)N(16), C(21)N(28), and C(33)N(44) molecules which could correspond to cage structures with 4, 7, and 11 units of the C(3)N(4) subunit, respectively. The structure and stability of these new nitrogen-rich carbon nitride nanocages has been investigated using density functional theory calculations.
López
Vicente
V
Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Pérez
Guillermo Román
GR
Arregui
Andrés
A
Mateo-Marti
Eva
E
Bañares
Luis
L
Martín-Gago
José Angel
JA
Soler
José M
JM
Gómez-Herrero
Julio
J
Zamora
Félix
F
D037741:Fullerenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy
D037741:Fullerenes; D009570:Nitriles; C011206:cyanogen