Synthesis and electrochemical properties of Porous tubular TiN powders prepared via ammonia reduction nitridation of nonhydrolytic TiO2 powders

Abstract

Porous tubular TiO2powders were prepared first via a novel facile and non-template route of the nonhydrolytic sol-gel method. The as-prepared TiO2powders could then be directly converted into porous tubular TiN powders through an ammonia reduction nitridation process. The results indicated that the obtained TiO2powders consisted of a pure, well-crystallized anatase TiO2 phase of porous tubular morphology, with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area of 39m2/g and an average pore size of 11nm and pore volume of 0.012 cm3/g. After the porous tubular TiO2powders were calcined at 800°C for 2h under an ammonia (NH3) gas atmosphere, TiN powders maintaining their porous tubular architecture were obtained, with a BET specific surface area of 35m2/g and an average pore size and pore volume of 12nm and 0.096 cm3/g, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the porous tubular TiN powders demonstrated that TiN powders could be a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.