Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Nanoporous carbons have been synthesised through a selective etching reaction, performed by halogenisation of metal carbides. The structures obtained can be controlled by choice of starting materials and reaction parameters, and here one example, chlorination of aluminium carbide at 700 °C, is given. The produced material is nanotube-like with agglomerates of short and wide interconnected tubular structures, which are here described as nanobarrels. The synthesis process gives a pure product with high-yield, and may be scaled up to produce bulk amounts.