Synthesis and catalytic activity of TiN particles by surfactant-modified urea-glass process

Abstract

Transition metal nitrides have gained attraction as electrocatalysts of diverse reactions under acid or basic conditions because of their high electric conductivity and excellent chemical stability. The design and control of porous structures are of great interest to enhance their catalytic ability. Herein, the role of a surfactant (triblock copolymer, Pluronic® F127) on the synthesis of titanium nitride by the urea-glass process is investigated. The effect of the surfactant on the catalytic activity is also elucidated. The addition of the surfactant is found to produce a mesostructured TiN with smaller pore diameters and larger pore volume than those without the use of the surfactant. Moreover, the use of the surfactant in the TiN synthesis leads to an improvement of the catalytic activity. Particularly, a four-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is observed for the TiN prepared by the surfactant-modified urea-glass process.