Carboxyl group functionalization of mesoporous carbon nanocage through reaction with ammonium persulfate.

Carbon nanocage, a three dimensional cage type mesoporous carbon with very high surface area and pore volume, has been functionalized with carboxyl groups for the first time via a simple oxidation using ammonium persulfate solution (APS). The carboxyl groups functionalized carbon nanocage materials have been unambiguously characterized by various sophisticated instruments such as FT-IR, HRSEM-EDX, XRD, nitrogen adsorption, and HRTEM. The degree of carboxyl group functionalization has been controlled by the simple adjustment of the oxidation parameters such as oxidation time, APS concentration and oxidation temperature.