A self-assembled carbon structure such as a carbon opal is disclosed herein. The structure is composed of hydrophilic carbon spheres oriented in a periodic colloidal crystal structure, wherein the carbon spheres have a porous surface, wherein the carbons spheres have an average particle diameter less than 3000 nm. Also disclosed is an inverse opal structure that includes a plurality of voids in the structural material. The voids are regularly arranged in an ordered periodic structure, the voids having a spherical shape. The inverse opal structure has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g and method for making the same together with materials that employ the same.