Direct Synthesis of TiN /Mesoporous Carbon Nanocomposite by Nitridation of a Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Mesostructured Material

A titanium nitride ( TiN )/mesoporous carbon nanocomposite with a high surface area (320 m 2 /g) has been successfully synthesized by a direct route based on a concomitant polymerization of organic and inorganic species (phenol–formaldehyde resin and TiO 2 ‐based oligomers, respectively). These polymers self‐assemble in the presence of a pore‐structuring agent, an amphiphilic copolymer ((poly(ethylene oxide)) 106 –(poly(propylene oxide)) 70 –(poly(ethylene oxide)) 106 ) during the solvent evaporation step and yield to an ordered mesostructured hybrid organic/inorganic materials. Its heat treatment in ammonia led to the carbonization of the organic part and to the nitridation of the TiO 2 ‐based part. A TiN /mesoporous C nanocomposite constituted of TiN (61 wt%) nanocrystallites (from 10 to 50 nm in diameter) embedded into a mesoporous carbon matrix was obtained.