Issue 14, 2011
From the journal:

Journal of Materials Chemistry

Synthesis of thin-walled carbon nanocages and their application as a new kind of nanocontainer†

Shang Jun Teng,a   Jian Nong Wang*b  and  Xiao Xia Wangc  

* Corresponding authors

a Shanghai Key Laboratory of Laser Processing and Materials Modification, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai, P. R. of China

b School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, P. R. China
E-mail: jnwang@ecust.edu.cn
Fax: +021-6425 2360
Tel: +021-6425 2360

c School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, P. R. of China

Abstract

Carbon nanocages (CNCs) with a hollow core and a thin wall of a few graphitic layers have a wide range of applications. However, the preparation of such a material remains a great challenge. In this study, we report the preparation of thin-walled CNCs through the pyrolysis of a mixture composed of pyridine and liquid iron pentacarbonyl, subsequent heat treatment in the presence of NH4Cl at a low temperature, and finally washing and filtering in water. The finding that pyridine is completely mutually soluble with liquid iron pentacarbonyl in any proportion stands out to be a crucial advantage for reducing the thickness of the graphitic wall formed on a metal core. To obtain hollow CNCs, heat-treatment proves to be simple and effective in removing the metal core and, more importantly, maintaining the thin graphitic wall when compared with conventional boiling in a strong oxidant, such as HNO3. The thin-walled hollow CNCs are demonstrated to be suitable nanocontainers for encapsulating iodine, as iodine can easily get into and out of the CNCs when it is heated at a relatively low temperature. Considering the large internal space and thin graphitic wall, the hollow CNCs could be widely used in many fields, such as biology, medicine and chemistry.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis of thin-walled carbon nanocages and their application as a new kind of nanocontainer

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C1JM10157A
Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Jan 2011
Accepted
28 Jan 2011
First published
28 Feb 2011

J. Mater. Chem., 2011,21, 5443-5450

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Synthesis of thin-walled carbon nanocages and their application as a new kind of nanocontainer

S. J. Teng, J. N. Wang and X. X. Wang, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 5443 DOI: 10.1039/C1JM10157A

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