Direct synthesis of mesoporous carbon microwires and nanowires

The direct template-based synthesis of mesoporous carbon microwires and nanowires by solvent-free infiltration of a precursor mixture for mesoporous carbon into porous alumina and carbonization at a temperature of 500°C was presented. A solution containing F127, phloroglucinol, formaldehyde, and traces of HCl in an ethanol/water mixture was stirred at room temperature until a separation into an upper water/ethanol phase and a lower polymer-rich phase occurred. The mixture was centrifuged and the supernatants solvents were removed. The phloroglucinol molecules were crosslinked with formaldehyde during curing steps at room temperature and at 80°C to fixate the microphase. The phloroglucinol segregated to the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) microdomains and carbonization at 500°C converted it into amorphous carbon. Results show that mesoporous carbon microwires and nanowires are largely free of defects and have high aspect ratios corresponding to the template pores.