Polysaccharide derived materials

Abstract

A mesoporous material is derived from a polysaccharide by thermally assisted partial carbonisation after expansion. The polysaccharide is an acid containing polysaccharide or mixture of polysaccharides.

1 . A mesoporous material obtained or obtainable by thermal treatment of an expanded polysaccharide possessing acidic functionality. 
     
     
         2 . The mesoporous material of  claim 1 , wherein the acidic functionality comprises an acidic functional group which is covalently attached to the expanded polysaccharide. 
     
     
         3 . The mesoporous material of  claim 1 , wherein the acidic functionality comprises a carboxyl or sulfate group. 
     
     
         4 . The mesoporous material of  claim 1  wherein the expanded polysaccharide possessing acidic functionality is selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, pectin, carageenan and polysaccharides chemically modified to include an acidic functional group. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The mesoporous material of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises pores in the mesoporous and microporous size distribution ranges. 
     
     
         8 . The mesoporous material of  claim 7 , wherein the ratio of the mesoporous volume (V meso ) to microporous volume (V micro ) is greater than 10, when calculated using the t-plot method. 
     
     
         9 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The mesoporous material of  claim 8 , wherein V meso  is greater than 0.2 cm 3 g −1  and less than 3 cm 3 g −1 . 
     
     
         14 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The mesoporous material of  claim 1 , wherein the material is at least partially carbonised. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A mesoporous carbonised material of  claim 1  wherein the expanded polysaccharide has a chemical structure which permits sufficient movement about the glycosidic linkage of the polysaccharide to allow formation in a fluid environment of an at least partly self-assembled mesoporous physical structure of the polysaccharide material. 
     
     
         22 . The mesoporous carbonised material of  claim 21  wherein the self-assembled physical structure is a helical structure. 
     
     
         23 . The mesoporous carbonised material of  claim 1  wherein the thermal treatment comprises heating at a temperature in the range of from room temperature to about 1200° C. 
     
     
         24 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The mesoporous carbonised material of  claim 23  wherein the thermal treatment is carried out in a non-oxidative atmosphere. 
     
     
         32 . The mesoporous material of  claim 23  wherein the thermal treatment includes alternate heating stages and isothermal stages. 
     
     
         33 . The mesoporous material of  claim 32  wherein the isothermal stages have a duration of from about 10 to about 50 minutes. 
     
     
         34 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The mesoporous material of  claim 32  wherein in the heating stages the rate of heating is from about 0.5 K/minute to about 20 K/minute. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of preparing a mesoporous carbonised material comprising subjecting an expanded polysaccharide which possesses acidic functionality to a thermal treatment. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the acidic functionality comprises an acidic functional group which is covalently bound to the expanded polysaccharide. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the acidic functionality comprises a carboxyl or sulfate group. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said the expanded polysaccharide possessing acidic functionality is selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, pectin, carageenan and polysaccharides chemically modified to include an acidic functional group. 
     
     
         42 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The method of claims of  claim 38 , wherein the resulting mesoporous carbonised material comprises pores in the mesoporous and microporous size distribution ranges. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claims 44 , wherein the ratio of the mesoporous volume (V meso ) to microporous volume (V micro ) is greater than 10, when calculated using the t-plot method. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the thermal treatment is such that the resulting mesoporous carbonised material is partially carbonised. 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the thermal treatment comprises heating at a temperature in the range of from room temperature to about 1200° C. 
     
     
         49 - 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claims 48  wherein the thermal treatment is carried out in a non-oxidative atmosphere. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claims 48  wherein the thermal treatment includes alternate heating stages and isothermal stages. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the isothermal stages have a duration of from about 10 to about 50 minutes. 
     
     
         59 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 57  wherein in the heating stages the rate of heating is from about 0.5 K/minute to about 20 K/minute. 
     
     
         62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A method comprising using the mesoporous material of  claim 1  as a stationary phase for chromatography, as a water treatment agent, as an agent for gas purification, decolourisation or adsorbency, as a catalyst or catalytic support, as an electrode component in electrochemistry, as a hydrogen storage medium, as a filter medium, or as a component of a biomedical device. 
     
     
         64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A chromatography apparatus comprising a material of  claim 1  as a stationary phase.