A yolk-shell-structured material (16, 59, 59a, 74) is disclosed as including a plurality of silicon nano-particles (12, 54, 54a, 62) and a cavity (16, 60, 80, 84) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18, 72) made of carbon nano-particles (14, 56, 58). A method of forming a yolk-shell-structured material with silicon nano-particles (12) and a cavity (16) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18) made of carbon nano-particles (14) is disclosed as including (a) providing a micron-sized cornstarch core (10), (b) forming a layer of nano silicon-particle (12) on the cornstarch core (10), (c) forming a micron-sized shell (18) of carbon nano-particles (14) on the layer of nano silicon-particle (12), and (d) removing the cornstarch core (10) by heating.

A yolk-shell-structured material (16, 59, 59a, 74) is disclosed as including a plurality of silicon nano-particles (12, 54, 54a, 62) and a cavity (16, 60, 80, 84) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18, 72) made of carbon nano-particles (14, 56, 58). A method of forming a yolk-shell-structured material with silicon nano-particles (12) and a cavity (16) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18) made of carbon nano-particles (14) is disclosed as including (a) providing a micron-sized cornstarch core (10), (b) forming a layer of nano silicon-particle (12) on the cornstarch core (10), (c) forming a micron-sized shell (18) of carbon nano-particles (14) on the layer of nano silicon-particle (12), and (d) removing the cornstarch core (10) by heating.

A yolk-shell-structured material (16, 59, 59a, 74) is disclosed as including a plurality of silicon nano-particles (12, 54, 54a, 62) and a cavity (16, 60, 80, 84) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18, 72) made of carbon nano-particles (14, 56, 58). A method of forming a yolk-shell-structured material with silicon nano-particles (12) and a cavity (16) enclosed by a micron-sized shell (18) made of carbon nano-particles (14) is disclosed as including (a) providing a micron-sized cornstarch core (10), (b) forming a layer of nano silicon-particle (12) on the cornstarch core (10), (c) forming a micron-sized shell (18) of carbon nano-particles (14) on the layer of nano silicon-particle (12), and (d) removing the cornstarch core (10) by heating.

The present invention relates to a particulate porous carbon material having a continuous porous structure, the particulate porous carbon material satisfying the following A to C: A: branch portions forming the continuous porous structure have an aspect ratio of 3 or higher; B: the branch portions have aggregated through joints interposed therebetween, the number of the aggregated branch portions (N) being 3 or larger; C: a ratio of the number of the aggregated branch portions (N) to the number of the joints (n), N/n, is 1.2 or larger.

The present invention relates to a particulate porous carbon material having a continuous porous structure, the particulate porous carbon material satisfying the following A to C: A: branch portions forming the continuous porous structure have an aspect ratio of 3 or higher; B: the branch portions have aggregated through joints interposed therebetween, the number of the aggregated branch portions (N) being 3 or larger; C: a ratio of the number of the aggregated branch portions (N) to the number of the joints (n), N/n, is 1.2 or larger.

A carbon pyrolyzate material is disclosed, having utility as an adsorbent as well as for energy storage and other applications. The pyrolyzate material comprises microporous carbon derived from low cost naturally-occurring carbohydrate source material such as polysaccharides. In adsorbent applications, the carbon pyrolyzate may for example be produced in a particulate form or a monolithic form, having high density and high pore volume to maximize gas storage and delivery, with the pore size distribution of the carbon pyrolyzate adsorbent being tunable via activation conditions to optimize storage capacity and delivery for specific gases of interest.

A carbon pyrolyzate material is disclosed, having utility as an adsorbent as well as for energy storage and other applications. The pyrolyzate material comprises microporous carbon derived from low cost naturally-occurring carbohydrate source material such as polysaccharides. In adsorbent applications, the carbon pyrolyzate may for example be produced in a particulate form or a monolithic form, having high density and high pore volume to maximize gas storage and delivery, with the pore size distribution of the carbon pyrolyzate adsorbent being tunable via activation conditions to optimize storage capacity and delivery for specific gases of interest.

The invention relates to a method for the production of activated carbon, in particular particulate activated carbon, having an increased mesopore and/or macropore volume fraction preferably having an increased mesopore volume fraction.

The invention relates to a method for the production of activated carbon, in particular particulate activated carbon, having an increased mesopore and/or macropore volume fraction preferably having an increased mesopore volume fraction.

The present invention relates to a porous carbon material having a co-continuous structure forming portion in which carbon skeletons and voids form continuous structures, respectively and which has a structural period of 0.002 m to 3 m, having pores which have an average diameter of 0.01 to 10 nm on a surface thereof, and having a BET specific surface area of 100 m.sup.2/g or more.