Nanocasting synthesis of graphitized ordered mesoporous carbon using Fe-coated SBA-15 template

Ordered mesoporous carbons with high porosities and graphitized structures were synthesized by a template-catalysis method using low-molecular-weight phenolic resin as carbon precursor and Fe-coated SBA-15 as both template and catalyst. The synthesis route involves the following steps: (a) the synthesis of mesoporous Fe-coated SBA-15 through a one-pot method, (b) the infiltration of a low-molecular-weight phenolic resin into the porosity of the Fe-coated SBA-15, (c) the carbonization and catalytic graphitization of the infiltrated phenolic resin at 900 °C, and (d) the removal of the Fe-coated SBA-15 template. The X-ray diffraction, nitrogen sorption, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the materials, and the results indicate that the prepared carbon materials have well-ordered mesoporous structures replicated from the templates, and graphitized structures can be observed on the carbon frameworks, depending on the iron content in the templates.

► One-pot method produces well-ordered Fe-coated SBA-15. ► Template-catalysis method produces graphitized ordered mesoporous carbon. ► Carbons derived from low-molecular-weight phenolic resin are quite graphitizable.