Facile synthesis of graphitic mesoporous carbon materials from sucrose

Abstract A one-step catalytic carbonization approach has been developed to prepare graphitic mesoporous carbon, using iron (III) nitrate as the graphitization catalyst and the template for creating pores. The porosity, degree of graphitization, and morphology of the resultant carbon products have been investigated as a function of the carbonization temperature and the dosage of iron (III) nitrate. The results showed that graphitic mesoporous carbon with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area of 198 m2/g and a high degree of graphitization was prepared at a carbonization temperature of 700 °C with a molar ratio of iron (III) nitrate to sucrose of 1.0. Moreover, a small amount of carbon nanotubes could be observed in the graphitic mesoporous carbon. The origin of the mesopores and the formation of graphitic carbon are discussed in terms of the evolution of CO2, CO, H2, and CH4, produced during the carbonization process.