A curing agent method to synthesize ordered mesoporous carbons from linear novolac phenolic resin polymers

Abstract

In this paper, we report a curing agent method for the synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbonaceous materials from a linear polymer precursor. 3-D Body-centered cubic (Imm) and 2-D hexagonal (p6mm) ordered mesoporous carbons have been obtained from the blends of hexamethyltetramine (HMTA) treated novolac precursor and amphiphilic triblock copolymers Pluronic F127 and PEO-PBO-PEO B50-6600 via the EISA strategy. The mesoporous carbons have a 3-D carbonaceous framework with low nitrogen content, and uniform mesopores (3.3–3.8 nm), BET surface areas (∼690 m²g⁻¹) and pore volumes (∼0.49 cm³g⁻¹). The key to the synthesis is the use of HMTA as a curing agent to cross-link novolac precursors obtained under acidic conditions. Methylene released by HMTA at elevated temperature can cause the linear novolac 3-D cross-linking to form a thermosetting polymeric framework. The curing agent strategy extends the composition of mesoporous polymeric frameworks.