Porous structure and pore size control of mesoporous carbons using a combination of a soft-templating method and a solvent evaporation technique

• Mesoporous carbons were synthesized by a soft-templating method.
• A 3D-connected carbon framework structure was formed via a surfactant micelle.
• A particle aggregate structure was obtained through a solvent evaporation process.
• A pore size could be changed from 6.8 nm to 56 nm.

Mesoporous carbons were prepared through self-assembly process of a composite of triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 and resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) resin. Mesoporous carbons with a 3D-connected carbon framework structure were formed via a formation of Pluronic F127 surfactant micelles and following polymerization of RF resin. Meanwhile, after a formation of F127 micelles and a solvent evaporation process, an inverse micelle structure of self-assembly of resorcinol–formaldehyde–Pluronic F127 was formed. The voids between the carbon particles form a porous structure. As a result, the pore size could be largely changed from 6.8 nm (for the 3D-connected carbon framework structure) to 56 nm (for the carbon particle aggregate structure).

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