A range of carbon materials can be produced using
lignin in combination with synthetic phenolic resins or naturally occurring lingo-cellulosic materials. The
lignin, which is essentially a naturally occurring phenolic resin, has a carbon yield on
pyrolysis similar to that of the synthetic resins, which aids
processing. The
lignin can be used as a binder phase for
synthetic resin or lignocellulosic materials allowing the production of monolithic carbons from a wide range of precursors, as the primary
structural material where the thermal
processing is modified by the addition of small quantities of
synthetic resin materials or as structure modified in the production of meso /
macro porous carbons in either bead, granular or monolithic form. A carbonised
monolith is provided comprising mesoporous and / or
macroporous carbon particles dispersed in a matrix of microporous carbon particles with voids between the particles defining paths for fluid to flow into and through the structure. The
monolith may take the form of a shaped body having walls defining a multiplicity of internal transport channels for fluid flow, the transport channels being directed along the
extrusion direction. The
monolith may be made by carbonising a shaped phenolic body based on phenolic resin precursors. In a method for producing such a carbonisable shaped resin body
solid particles of a first phenolic resin are provided which is partially cured so that the particles are sinterable but do not melt on carbonisation. The particles of the first phenolic resin are mixed with particles of a second phenolic resin that has a greater degree of cure than said first phenolic resin and has a mesoporous and / or macroporous
microstructure that is preserved on carbonisation. The resulting mixture is formed into a dough e.g. by mixing the resin particles with
methyl cellulose, PEO and water, after which the dough is extruded to form a shaped product and stabilising in its shape by
sintering.