Advanced Materials, Vol.11, No.8, 655-655, 1999
Carbon nitride nanocomposites: Formation of aligned CxNy nanofibers
Communication: The preparation of carbon nitride nanotubes has proved extremely difficult-to date only small quantities of nitrogen (less than or equal to 5%) have been incorporated into carbon nanotubes or filaments and the synthesis of crystalline C3N4 and CN nanotubes with their interesting predicted properties remains a challenge for the future. Now the generation of aligned C13Nx (x less than or equal to 1) nanofibers in high yield by pyrolyzing melamine over laser-patterned thin films of Fe and Ni catalyst deposited on a silica substrate is reported. The resulting aligned, hollow thin-walled fibers exhibit unusual graphitic corrugated morphologies. The authors suggest that pyrolysis of organic precursors containing N (e.g., melamine) may provide an additional route to CN nanostructures.