Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres and their acid catalytic properties

• Colloidal silica crystal beads were used as the template for the preparation.
• Macroporous carbon spheres bearing –SO3H (MPCS-SO3H) were prepared.
• MPCS-SO3H possess remarkable catalytic performance for the esterification.

Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres bearing sulfonic acid groups (MPCS-SO3H) were prepared by incomplete carbonization of glucose in silica crystal bead template, followed by sulfonation and removal of the template. The composition and porous structure of the obtained carbon spheres were investigated by physical adsorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. While the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the functional groups on the surface of carbon spheres. The catalytic properties of the MPCS-SO3H were evaluated by esterification of ethanol with acetic acid, indicating that MPCS-SO3H possess remarkable catalytic performance (high stability and acid catalytic ability) for the esterification.

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