Simple hydrothermal synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbons from resorcinol and hexamine

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 2113 - 2119
• Main Authors: Liu, Dan, Lei, Jia-Heng, Guo, Li-Ping, Deng, Ke-Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Carbon; Catalysis; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Formaldehyde; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; General and physical chemistry; Harnesses; Hexamine; Materials science; Physics; Porous materials; Precursors; Radio frequencies; Self assembly; Specific materials; Surface area; Synthesis; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; One pot reaction; Catalysts; Porous materials; Aldehydes; Carbon; Precursor; Formaldehyde; Mesoporosity; Resorcinol; Self-assembly; Synthesis; Acids; Morphology; Micrometer; Surface area; Resins; Hydrothermal condition; Block copolymer; Release
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2011.01.047

Hexamine has been used as a release source of formaldehyde towards the self-assembly synthesis of resorcinol/formaldehyde (RF) resin-based mesoporous carbons under hydrothermal conditions. The obtained mesoporous carbons exhibit the micrometer-sized, sphere-like morphology and a high surface area. The use of hexamine instead of formaldehyde efficiently harnesses the organic–organic self-assembly of RF resin and block copolymer. Ordered mesostructures can be obtained over a wide range of hydrothermal temperature without the extra addition of inorganic bases or acids as catalysts. The method described here has the advantage of being a one-pot procedure and only involves the use of several organic precursors in an aqueous system.