Structurally Designed Synthesis of Mechanically Stable Poly(benzoxazine-co-resol)-Based Porous Carbon Monoliths and Their Application as High-Performance CO2 Capture Sorbents

Abstract

Porous carbon monoliths with defined multilength scale pore structures, a nitrogen-containing framework, and high mechanical strength were synthesized through a self-assembly of poly(benzoxazine-co-resol) and a carbonization process. Importantly, this synthesis can be easily scaled up to prepare carbon monoliths with identical pore structures. By controlling the reaction conditions, porous carbon monoliths exhibit fully interconnected macroporosity and mesoporosity with cubic Im3m symmetry and can withstand a press pressure of up to 15.6 MPa. The use of amines in the synthesis results in a nitrogen-containing framework of the carbon monolith, as evidenced by the cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR characterization. With such designed structures, the carbon monoliths show outstanding CO₂ capture and separation capacities, high selectivity, and facile regeneration at room temperature. At ∼1 bar, the equilibrium capacities of the monoliths are in the range of 3.3–4.9 mmol g^–1 at 0 °C and of 2.6–3.3 mmol g^–1 at 25 °C, while the dynamic capacities are in the range of 2.7–4.1 wt % at 25 °C using 14% (v/v) CO₂ in N₂. The carbon monoliths exhibit high selectivity for the capture of CO₂ over N₂ from a CO₂/N₂ mixture, with a separation factor ranging from 13 to 28. Meanwhile, they undergo a facile CO₂ release in an argon stream at 25 °C, indicating a good regeneration capacity.