Preparation of N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon and catalytic performance for the pyrolysis of 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane to vinylidene fluoride

N-doped ordered mesoporous carbons (NOMC) were prepared with mixed solution of urea and sucrose as carbon source and nitrogen source. SBA-15 was adopted as the hard template. The effect of urea to sucrose molar ratio on NOMC was investigated. NOMC samples were characterized by techniques such as BET, TEM, XPS and TG. The catalytic performances of NOMC catalysts were evaluated for the pyrolysis of 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane (HCFC-142b, CH 3 CClF 2 ) to vinylidene fluoride (VDF, CH 2 =CF 2 ). The catalytic reactions were carried out at 400 °C and space velocity of 600 h −1 (based on HCFC-142b). The results indicate that NOMC exhibits a stable activity at 400 °C with high HCFC-142b conversion and selectivity to VDF. The textural parameters of NOMC play a major role in VDF selectivity and N species over the carbon surface are responsible for NOMC catalytic performance. Compared with the temperatures of industrial manufacture of VDF at 650–700 °C, the NOMC catalysts provide a promising pathway to produce VDF at much lower temperatures (below 400 °C).