Nickel-catalyzed fabrication of SiO2, TiO2/graphitized carbon, and the resultant graphitized carbon with periodically macroporous structure

In this work, we present a facile route to fabricate three-dimensionally ordered macroporous SiO2/graphitized carbon, TiO2/graphitized carbon, and the resultant graphitic carbon. The graphitized carbons were formed by catalytic graphitization of polystyrene arrays, which were used as both template and carbon source for the generation of macroporous composite. The prepared samples were characterized via powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, thermogravimetic analysis, and N2 adsorption. The graphitization degree and the content of graphitic carbon in the composite were dependent on the pyrolysis temperature and confinement effect of macroporous oxides skeleton. The composite of SiO2/graphitized carbon exhibited long-range ordered structure at the pyrolysis temperature ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. The low pyrolysis temperature leads to the low degree of graphitization and low content of graphitic carbon in the composite. After the SiO2 skeleton was removed, depending on the carbon co...