A novel synthesis route for mesoporous carbon (MC) nanosheets were developed using halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), a type of natural clay that is structurally and chemically similar to mineral kaolinite, as inorganic matrix and using polypyrrole (PPy) as carbon precursor by a template-like method. First, PPy/HNT hybrids were prepared by in situ oxidative polymerization. Carbon (C)/HNT hybrids were further obtained by pyrolysis of the PPy/HNT hybrids. MC was obtained after the removal of inorganic template by hydrochloric acid/hydrofluoric acid mixture at the end. Both the C/HNT and the MC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra measurement, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The MC was also characterized with specific surface area (BET). The results showed that the MC obtained was almost amorphous carbon. The increase in the ratio of [HNTs template]/[pyrrole monomer] led to an increase in the BET-specific surface area. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 128: 517-522, 2013