Patent ID: 8541338

Claim:
A method of forming a porous activated carbon material having controlled oxygen content, comprising: forming a mixture of a carbon precursor selected from the group consisting of a synthetic polymer thermosetting resin and a synthetic polymer thermoplastic resin and an inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of KOH, K 2 CO 3 , KCl, NaOH, Na 2 CO 3 , NaCl, P 2 O 5 , AlCl 3 , MgCl 2 , ZnCl 2 and H 3 PO 4 ; heating the mixture at a first temperature to cure the carbon precursor; heating the cured carbon precursor at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to carbonize the carbon precursor and produce an activated carbon material, wherein the method further comprises: (a) heating the mixture at the first temperature in a nitrogen environment, and (b) washing the activated carbon to remove the inorganic compound and then heating the washed activated carbon material at a third temperature ranging from about 450° C. to 1000° C. in an environment that is substantially free of oxygen to refine the activated carbon material.