Nanostructured Carbon Materials Synthesized from Mesoporous Silica Crystals by Replication

Abstract

This chapter discusses the synthesis of nanostructured carbon materials from mesoporous silica crystals by replication. The chapter presents the recent advances in the synthesis, properties, and applications of ordered mesoporous carbons with an emphasis on the recent results. Ordered mesoporous carbons with various mesopore structures, designated as CMK-n (carbon mesostructured by KAIST), have been synthesized, using mesoporous silicas or aluminosilicate templates, constructed with 3-D pore connectivity, such as MCM-48 (cubic Ia3d), SBA-1 (cubic Pm3n), SBA-15 (2-D hexagonal p6mm), SBA-16 (cubic Im3m), and KIT-6 (large pore cubic Ia3d). Mesoporous carbons composed of graphitic frameworks, namely, CMK-nG, are synthesized via in situ conversion of aromatic organic compounds into mesophase pitch. The pore diameter control of mesoporous carbons has been achieved by developing synthetic route to the systematic control of wall thickness of hexagonal mesoporous silicas. New class of porous materials, ordered nanoporous carbon-polymer composites, has been synthesized by coating mesoporous carbon frameworks with polymeric entities. Applications of mesoporous carbons have been explored in areas, such as catalyst supports, energy storage media, dye and biomolecule adsorbents, and templates for new inorganic porous materials.