Direct synthesis of mesoporous carbon from the carbonization of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin/silica composite and its catalytic performance

▶ Mesoporous carbon was prepared by directly carbonizing β-HPCD/silica composite. ▶ Mesoporous carbon has a uniform wormlike structure and high surface area. ▶ Mesoporous carbon has certain degree graphitic phase characteristic in pore wall. ▶ Mesoporous carbon has high catalytic activity for the reduction of p-nitrotoluene. A simple and efficient route is reported for the synthesis of mesoporous carbon materials by directly carbonizing hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-silica composites. The resulting carbon materials, with uniform wormlike mesoporous structure and certain degree graphitic phase characteristics in porous wall, possess narrow pore size distribution, high surface area (>1000m2g−1) and pore volume (>1.2cm3g−1). It is worth mentioning that the carbon materials have high catalytic activity for the reduction of p-nitrotoluene using hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent; moreover, the catalytic activity is not reduced notably after being reused for six times.