Nanoconfinement induced formation of core/shell structured mesoporous carbon spheres coated with solid carbon shell

A novel method for the fabrication of core/shell structured mesoporous carbon spheres with solid shell using a template method has been presented. The unique molecular nanostructures are characterized by XRD, TEM, TGA, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurement. The formation mechanism of the mesostructured carbon spheres with a carbon shell is proposed according to the experimental results. Nanoconfinement effect, occurring in the core/shell structured template, is believed to play a key role in mediating the formation of these hierarchical carbon mesostructures, with SnO2 as a template and C2H4 as a carbon source of a mesoporous carbon core. This synthesis method is simple, straightforward, and suitable for the preparation of various nanostructures that are unique scaffolds in catalytic and electrochemical applications.