Synthesis and Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Materials

Nitrogen-doped carbon materials were prepared by top-down syntheses by the reaction of graphite fluoride (GF) with NaN3 or NaNO3. A mass spectrometric analysis of anionic species generated by the laser ablation of these two materials was conducted, and the results were compared to those obtained for the species generated from the laser desorption/ionization of the more nitrogen-rich material, C3N4. In addition, gas-phase ions arising from combining (a) GF with NaNO3 and (b) graphite and GF with gaseous NH3 under laser irradiation were studied. Similar to the typical C-x(-) mass distributions seen in the laser ablation experiments, the mass spectra of the anionic species generated by the ablation of new N-doped carbon materials contain the stoichiometric series C-x(-) and C(x-1)N-, suggesting nitrogen loss under laser irradiation. These series of ions are also observed in the mass spectra for several gas-phase carbon-nitrogen reactions.

Automated summary

Nitrogen-doped carbon materials were synthesized from graphite fluoride through reactions with NaN3 or NaNO3. Mass spectrometric analysis of anionic species generated by laser ablation of these materials revealed nitrogen loss under laser irradiation. Similar ion series were also observed in gas-phase carbon-nitrogen reactions.