Fabrication of activated carbons with well-defined macropores derived from sulfonated poly(divinylbenzene) networks

Macroporous carbon monoliths with well-defined macropores were prepared by carbonization of macroporous poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) monoliths and sulfonated PDVB (SPDVB) monoliths. The carbonization reactions of PDVB as well as SPDVB networks have been studied by thermal analysis and FT-IR measurements. The measurement results revealed that the sulfonation of PDVB helps polymer networks to make polyaromatic structure and suppresses large shrinkage and weight loss during carbonization. Starting from the PDVB monoliths and the SPDVB monoliths sulfonated at relatively low temperature, the macropore structure retained whereas the mesopores disappeared after carbonization. On the other hand, starting from the SPDVB monoliths sulfonated at relatively high temperature, mesopores in the original skeletons as well as macropores are retained even after carbonization at 1,000 °C. The obtained carbon monoliths were subsequently activated by CO2, which resulted in activated carbons. The specific surface area of the obtained activated carbons reached up to 2,360 m2 g−1.