An idealized model of a pore in nanoporous carbon.

Nanoporous carbon is formed when a carbon-containing materials (which could be as simple as sugar) is pyrolyzed (i.e. heated up in an inert atmosphere). During this process, gases escape from the structure, leaving behind a complex pore-ridden structure of primarily sp² carbon. These highly porous Swiss-cheese-like structures have application in catalysis and may provide a flexible starting point for producing more highly structured nanomaterials. A video presentation of this topic is available. Click on the video image to advance each frame.

Publications

• Control of Nanostructures Via Metal-Carbon Interactions Over Multiple Length, National Science Foundation NIRT DMR-0103585
• Theory of novel nanostructures: symmetry and surface interactions, National Science Foundation DMR-0305035

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.