Single-source-precursor synthesis and high-temperature evolution of novel mesoporous SiVN(O)-based ceramic nanocomposites

Abstract Mesoporous SiVN(O) ceramics were prepared from a mixture consisting of VO(acac)2-modified perhydropolysilazane and polystyrene. The resulting amorphous single-phase SiVN(O) ceramics remained amorphous in nitrogen atmosphere up to 1400 °C. The as-prepared materials consist of nanoscaled vanadium nitride dispersed in amorphous Si3N4; exposure to 1600 °C leads to the crystallization of VN and Si3N4. The specific surface area (SSA) and the pore size of the SiVN(O)-based ceramics can be easily controlled by the temperature of thermal treatment and by the amount of polystyrene. The average pore size of the prepared SiVN(O) ceramics was 4–10 nm and their largest SSA values, 642 and 506 m2/g, were achieved upon ammonolysis at 800 and 1000 °C, respectively. The combination of metal-modified single-source precursors and encapsulated porogens provides a convenient one-pot synthesis process to prepare mesoporous ceramic nanocomposites with controllable phase compositions and morphology.