Ionic liquids as versatile precursors for functionalized porous carbon and carbon-oxide composite materials by confined carbonization

Back to black: Thermolysis of an ionic liquid (IL) gives no char residue, whereas heating the same IL trapped within an oxide framework affords high carbonization yields (see picture). This confinement method allows incorporation of heteroatoms from the parent IL in the final products, for the development of functionalized porous carbon and carbon-oxide composite materials.