Macroporous carbons prepared by templating silica spheres

Macroporous carbons of different pore sizes, containing three-dimensionally connected voids, have been prepared by an elegant method. The method invol ves the coating of ordered silica spheres with sucrose, followed by carboni zation using sulfuric acid, and the removal of silica with aqueous hydroflu oric acid. The carbon samples show the expected optical properties. The sur face area of the macroporous carbon samples varies between 120 to 550 m(2)g (-1), depending on whether nonporous or mesoporous silica spheres were used as templates. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.