Programmable synthesis of radially gradient-structured mesoporous carbon nanospheres with tunable core-shell architectures

Summary Owing to the weak self-assembly ability of precursor components and the unadjustable limitation of micelle structures during assembly process, the synthesis of mesoporous colloidal nanospheres with sophisticated multimodal pore system remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a programmable shear-induced dynamic assembly approach to synthesize radially gradient-structured mesoporous carbon nanospheres with tunable core-shell architectures. Detailed mechanism studies reveal that the micelle structures in our system can be well adjusted by changing the shear force. More importantly, the synthetic process can be programmatically proceeded by setting up an on-demand stirring model, resulting in the intelligent assembly of multimodal mesostructures. The resultant mesoporous carbon nanospheres show small particle size, high surface area, abundant nitrogen species, and radially oriented open-porous structure and, as a result, deliver high capability and ultra-long cyclic life for sodium-ion storage. This facile programmable assembly approach would offer new opportunities in exploring sophisticated multimodal mesostructures for innovative applications.