Templated non-oxide sol-gel preparation of well-ordered macroporous (inverse opal) Ta3N5 films

Inorg Chem. 2013 Sep 3;52(17):9994-9. doi: 10.1021/ic4012718. Epub 2013 Aug 15.

Abstract

Reactions of Ta(NMe2)5 and n-propylamine are shown to be an effective system for sol-gel processing of Ta3N5. Ordered macroporous films of Ta3N5 on silica substrates have been prepared by infiltration of such a sol into close-packed sacrificial templates of cross-linked 500 nm polystyrene spheres followed by pyrolysis under ammonia to remove the template and crystallize the Ta3N5. Templates with long-range order were produced by controlled humidity evaporation. Pyrolysis of a sol-infiltrated template at 600 °C removes the polystyrene but does not crystallize Ta3N5, and X-ray diffraction shows nanocrystalline TaN plus amorphous material. Heating at 700 °C crystallizes Ta3N5 while retaining a high degree of pore ordering, whereas at 800 °C porous films with a complete loss of order are obtained.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Nitrogen Compounds / chemistry*
  • Phase Transition
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry
  • Porosity
  • Propylamines / chemistry
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry
  • Tantalum / chemistry*

Substances

  • Nitrogen Compounds
  • Polystyrenes
  • Propylamines
  • Tantalum
  • Silicon Dioxide