Preparation and microstructure control of carbon aerogels produced using m-cresol mediated sol-gel polymerization of phenol and furfural

Carbon aerogels rich in mesopores were prepared by the sol-gel polycondensation of phenol, m-cresol, and furfural by an acid catalyst in a 1-propanol solution, followed by supercritical 1-propanol drying and pyrolysis. The effect of the ratios of m-cresol to phenol (m-C/P) on the properties of aerogels was investigated. The aerogels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the microstructure of carbon aerogels could be adjusted by the m-C/P ratio. The average mesopore size of carbon aerogels decreased from 47 to 13 nm with increasing m-C/P ratio. The surface area calculated using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, external surface area, and mesopore volume of carbon aerogels, all exhibited maxima at the m-C/P ratio of 0.33.