Tuning the pore size and structure of mesoporous carbons synthesized using an evaporation-induced self-assembly method

Mesoporous carbons (MCs) have been prepared by the carbonization of reverse triblock copolymer-phloroglucinol/formaldehyde resin composites, which were themselves formed by hydrogen-bonding interaction through the evaporation-induced self-assembly method. The microstructure of MCs was analyzed by nitrogen adsorption isotherms and transmission electron microscope. The results showed that the pore size could be readily tailored from 4.7 to 17.8 nm by simply varying the weight ratios of formaldehyde and surfactants while the amounts of the other reactants were kept constant. The highest surface area and pore volume of MCs are 410 m(2)/g and 0.77 cm(3)/g, respectively. Moreover, the pore structure also can be controlled as ink-bottle or cylinder type. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.