Templated and ordered mesoporous carbons

Porous carbon materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years, in particular, for applications, such as energy storage, catalysis, and separation/filtration. As a common definition according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), pores are classified on the basis of their diameter as micropores (<2 nm), mesopores (between 2 and 50 nm), and macropores (>50 nm). Various synthesis methods have been developed for the preparation of carbons with one or more types of pores to yield complex and sometimes ordered hierarchical pore structures. Simultaneously, the search for the most suitable carbon precursors that allow for the formation of carbons with well-defined pore structures, combined with good thermal stability, well-defined surface functional groups, or high electrical conductivities for targeted applications, has been one of the most active topics of research in the field of carbon materials. Although some carbon precursors of natural origin or synthetic organic molecules can develop micro-, meso-, or macropores during thermal treatment, other carbon sources require chemical activation or templates to generate such pores.