A porous biomorphic carbon template (BCF), retained its biological feature, was prepared by carbonized basswood. Microstructure and component of BCF were performed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy. Non-isothermal oxidation mechanism of BCT was studied by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Experimental results show that BCT has a honeycomb structure and double-peaked porous diameter distribution. It is a typical turbostratic network structure, with increasing carbonization temperature, the ratio of the integrated intensities I(D)/I(G) increase, the lateral extension L(a) of the graphene units decrease. The non-isothermal oxidation mechanism of BCT exhibits a self-catalytic characteristic, which is explained by molecular structure schematic model. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.