Templating synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon particles

This research reports the synthesis of spherical ordered mesoporous carbon particles using mesoporous silica particles as a template. The silica particles with ordered cubic and lamellar mesostructures were synthesized from an aerosol-assisted self-assembly process using block copolymer surfactants as the structural directing agent. Infiltrating the pores of the silica particles with a sucrose solution followed by carbonization, and silica removal results in mesoporous carbon particles with replicated mesostructures. The particles were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and nitrogen sorption techniques.