EN
Soft-templated microporous-mesoporous carbons with embedded alumina nanoparticles were synthesized using resorcinol and formaldehyde as carbon precursors, different inorganic acids as a catalyst and poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer as a soft template. The carbons studied have very good adsorption properties such as high specific surface area, uniform pore size distribution and a large total pore volume. The choice of catalyst seems to play an important role for the incorporation of aluminum species to the carbon framework, which after thermal treatment form aluminum oxide nanoparticles. This simple approach seems to be very promising for the design of carbon-based materials for a broad range of applications.