Micron-Sized Single-Crystal-like CoAPO-5/Carbon CompositesLeading to Hierarchical CoAPO-5 with Both Inter- and IntracrystallineMesoporosity.

Commercial mesopores-containing carbon(carbon black BP2000) hasbeen used as crystallization host as well as hard template of intracrystallinemesopores in CoAPO-5 materials prepared with N-methyldicyclohexylamineas specific structure-directing agent. As a result, micrometer-sizedAFI-structured terminated-tip (pencil-like) hexagonal prims have beenobtained. Despite the appearance of single crystals, the crystalsare actually composites formed by a large number of elongated-shapeCoAPO-5 and carbon nanodomains. Indeed, the removal of carbon by calcinationleaves an inorganic Co-doped AlPO4-based material havinga complex hierarchical pore system, formed by the expected microporosityfor an AFI-structured material and both intra- and intercrystallinemesoporosity. In good agreement with the nanocomposite nature of thesemicrometer-sized crystals, the size of their fibers generated by burningthe carbon matrix can be relatively controlled by the conditions ofthe calcination processes. Under optimized synthesis and calcinationconditions, AFI-structured materials with high mesoporous surfacearea and pore volume can be afforded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]