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 involves the coating of ordered silica spheres with sucrose, followed by carbonization using sulfuric acid, and the removal of silica with aqueous hydrofluoric acid. The carbon samples show the expected optical properties. The surface area of the macroporous carbon samples varies between 120 to 550 m2g−1, depending on whether nonporous or mesoporous silica spheres were used as templates.