A sustainable synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon aerogels

The hydrothermal synthesis of nitrogen-doped monolithic carbon aerogels derived from sustainable precursors (i.e. D-glucose and ovalbumin) is presented. The protein acts as nitrogen donor and surface stabilizing agent in this saccharide hydrothermal carbonization, to generate high surface area aerogels (> 240 m(2)g(-1)) composed of functional continuous large diameter mesopores with excellent hierarchical transport architecture. Post-carbonization treatment controls surface chemistry (e. g. C or N condensation), facilitating tuneable physicochemical properties on a unique continuous 3D carbonaceous pore structure. This highly flexible synthesis lays the basis for the development of a new generation of sustainable (heteroatom-doped) porous carbon aerogels suitable for a range of high value applications.