All chemicals were received from commercial sources: toluene (99.8%, Sigma-Aldrich), 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (99%, Sigma-Aldrich), tetramethoxysilane (≥99.0%, Sigma-Aldrich), tetrabutylammonium fluoride solution (1.0 M in THF, Sigma-Aldrich), hexane (anhydrous, 95%, Sigma-Aldrich), dichloromethane, sodium hydroxide. The chemicals were used as obtained if not otherwise stated. toluene and dichloromethane were dried with standard methods under inert atmosphere and freshly distilled before use. Deionized water was used for the syntheses and ultrapure Milli-Q® water (18.2 MΩ cm) for electrochemical measurements.
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based felts (only stabilized, not yet carbonized) were received from Freudenberg Performance Materials SE & Co. KG (Weinheim, Germany) and utilized as substrate. It should be mentioned here, that the untreated carbon felt is called ‘pristine’. The composite electrodes are named according to the following general scheme – containing the synthesis conditions: material type (catalyst, carbonization time, repeat sequences of etching). The following abbreviations are used for the different catalysts: MSA for acid-catalyzed polymerization and T for thermally induced reaction.
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based felts (only stabilized, not yet carbonized) were received from Freudenberg Performance Materials SE & Co. KG (Weinheim, Germany) and utilized as substrate. It should be mentioned here, that the untreated carbon felt is called ‘pristine’. The composite electrodes are named according to the following general scheme – containing the synthesis conditions: material type (catalyst, carbonization time, repeat sequences of etching). The following abbreviations are used for the different catalysts: MSA for acid-catalyzed polymerization and T for thermally induced reaction.