Morphology control of hierarchical porous carbon particles from phenolic resin and polystyrene latex template via aerosol process

A facile, one step aerosol process for morphological control of hierarchical porous carbon particles using self-assembly of phenolic resin (as the host material) and charged polystyrene latex particles (PSL, as the template) in a droplet was reported in this work. The influence of spray pyrolysis parameters on the carbon morphology, such as temperature of furnace, carrier-gas flow rate, and mass ratio of phenolic resin to PSL, were investigated thoroughly. Precursors containing negatively charged phenolic resin and different charges of PSL particles were sprayed into a tubular furnace and then collected as carbon particles. Self-assembly within the sprayed droplets formed solid and well-structured polymer particles after drying and template decomposition. The presence of attractive and repulsive force during self-assembly was proved from the physicochemical properties measurement of the precursor. The well-structured morphology was maintained during pyrolysis as shown by the well-structured carbon particles that were obtained. It was found that precursor with a mass ratio of phenolic resin to PSL particles of 0.63 produced well-structured porous carbon particles with hexagonally close-packed pores.