An unusual method to prepare a highly microporous carbon for hydrogen storage application

Abstract

Porous carbon with ultrahigh microporosity was prepared by an unusual method of template synthesis using mesoporous silica and carbon dioxide activation. The porous carbon displays a high specific surface area of 2008m2/g, a large pore volume of 1.21cm3/g, and an ultrahigh microporosity with micropores contributing 86% of the surface area and 67% of the pore volume. This material exhibits excellent hydrogen storage properties with hydrogen uptakes of 2.01wt% at 77K and 1bar and 0.67wt% at 298K and 80bar.