Use of mesoporous graphite particles for electrochemical applications

1. A process comprising conducting an electrochemical reaction in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) in an interconnected 3D mesopore structure, wherein the mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) in an interconnected 3D mesopore structure are obtainable by a process comprising:

(a) impregnating particles having a mesoporous base framework with a graphitizable organic compound to yield impregnated particles;

(b) subjecting the impregnated particles to a high-temperature graphitization step in order to yield graphitized particles having graphitic framework in the mesoporous base framework;

(c) subjecting the graphitized particles to a process for removing the mesoporous base framework in order to yield mesoporous graphitic particles having a mesoporous graphitic framework;

(d) impregnating the mesoporous graphitic particles with a solution of a salt of a catalytically active metal to yield impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles;

(e) subjecting the impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles to a hydrogenation step in order to yield metal-loaded impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles having catalytically active metal particles in mesopores of the metal-loaded impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles; and

(f) calcining the metal-loaded impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles in a temperature range of from 600° C. to 1000° C. in order to obtain said mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) in mesopores in an interconnected 3D mesopore structure;

and wherein said mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) in an interconnected 3D mesopore structure comprise a hollow sphere structure comprising a mesoporous graphitic shell having a layer thickness of from 20 nm to 50 nm and a hollow core having a diameter of from 60 nm to 440 nm, and the mesoporous graphitic shell is loaded with the catalytically active metal, and the catalytically active metal is selected from among Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Mo, Se, Sn, Pt, Ru, Pd, W, Ir, Os, Rh, Nb, Ta, Pb, Bi, Au, Ag, Sc, Y, and combinations thereof in from 5-50% by weight based on the total weight of the mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) in mesopores in an interconnected 3D mesopore structure.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is a constituent of an electrode in an electrochemical cell.

3. The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is an oxidation catalyst anode constituent of an electrochemical cell.

4. The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the catalyst is a reduction catalyst cathode of an electrochemical cell.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is a layer constituent in a layer structure of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) of a fuel cell, electrochemical cell, or electrochemical reformer or is a constituent of an electrode layer of a battery.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the catalytically active metal is selected from Pt with at least one of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Pd, Au, Ag, Sn, Mo, Mn, Y, and Sc.

7. A process comprising conducting an electrochemical reaction in the presence of mesoporous graphitic particles without a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (n-HGS), wherein the mesoporous graphitic particles without a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (M-HGS) are obtainable by a process comprising:

(a) impregnating particles having a mesoporous base framework with a graphitizable organic compound to yield impregnated particles;

(b) subjecting the impregnated particles to a high-temperature graphitization step in order to yield graphitized particles having graphitic framework in the mesoporous base framework;

(c) subjecting the graphitized particles to a process for removing the mesoporous base framework in order to yield said mesoporous graphitic particles without a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (n-HGS);

and wherein said mesoporous graphitic particles without a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles (n-HGS) comprise a hollow sphere structure comprising a mesoporous graphitic shell having a layer thickness of from 20 nm to 50 nm and a hollow core having a diameter of from 60 nm to 440 nm.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the electrochemical reaction occurs in a fuel cell, at an anode or at a cathode.

9. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-loaded impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles obtained in step e) have catalytically active metal sites on the metal-loaded impregnated mesoporous graphitic particles.