Abstract
Several potential synthesis routes to C3N4 were reinvestigated. These include thermal decomposition of Hg(SCN)2, thermal decomposition of CuSCN, and thermal deammonation of melamine. The C3N4 material (1) obtained from Hg(SCN)2 contained Hg, S, and H as impurities, and the material (2) obtained from decomposition of CuSCN is contaminated with S and H. Both C3N4 products were sublimed under dynamic vacuum at 700°C with a yield of about 40 %, affording la and 2a respectively. The sublimates were purer than the starting materials, and a mass spectrum of the vapor showed the presence of molecular C3N4. Melamine could not be fully deammonated to C3N4 by thermolysis. Product 2a had a hardness of 6.2 GPa and a Youngs modulus of 29.8 GPa, and showed a rather high elastic recovery of 81% during microindentation.
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