Synthesis of Nanoporous Molybdenum Carbide Nanowires Based on Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Nanocomposites with Sub-Nanometer Periodic Structures

Nanoporous molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) nanowires were successfully synthesized through facilely calcining the organic-inorganic hybrid nanowires with subnanometer periodic structures. Mo3O10(C 6H8N)2. 2H2O nanowires were first prepared through the reaction between ammonium heptamolybdate and aniline at 50°C. The crystalline structure was validated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. After the calcination of the organic-inorganic hybrid nanowires at 725°C in argon flow, Mo2C nanowires were successfully obtained, which were confirmed as hexagonal phase. The sintering at the junctions of neighboring nanoparticles is observable in the high-resolutionTEM(HRTEM) image. The subnanometer contact between molybdenum oxides and amine molecules in the hybrid nanowires reveals the achievement of Mo2C nanowires with large surface and enriched nanoporosity.