Pore properties of hierarchically porous carbon monoliths with high surface area obtained from bridged polysilsesquioxanes

Hierarchically porous carbon monoliths with high specific surface area have been prepared via a nano-phase extraction technique from carbon/silica composites which had been prepared from arylene-bridged polysilsesquioxanes. The nano-sized silica phase developed in the composite has been removed to increase micropores, resulting in a similar effect to thermal activation of carbons. The resultant carbons are expected to possess homogeneously distributed micropores. Here we report the changes of the pore characteristics through the synthesis process by the nitrogen adsorption–desorption method and mercury porosimetry. In particular, the growth of silica phase in carbon/silica composites at different temperatures has been characterized by the micropore analysis using the Horváth-Kawazoe method.

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► Macroporous carbon/silica monoliths were obtained from bridged polysilsesquioxanes.
► “Nano-phase extraction” of silica phase increased microporosity in the carbons.
► Microporosity of these carbons have been investigated by adsorption measurements.
► Relationship between carbonization conditions and micropore characters are discussed.