Monolayer　carbon　materials,　including　monolayer　graphene,　carbon　nanohorn,　single-wall　nanotube,　monolayer　giant　fullerenes　and　monolayer　amorphous　carbon,　have　been　attracting　great　interest　due　to　their　unique　physicochemical　properties,　and　new　methods　for　facile　and　large　scale　preparation　of　monolayer　carbons　are　challenging　and　of　great　importance.　Herein,　N-P-doped　monolayer　carbon　foam　were　prepared　by　a　direct　pyrolysis　method.　The　aerogel-like　carbon　foam　was　composed　of　connected　and/or　fused　monolayer　carbon　nanoshells　with　the　size　of　2−6　nm,　and　the　hierarchically　porous　structure　gave　rise　to　an　extremely　large　surface　area　of　2570　m2　g−1.　The　carbon　foam　was　preliminarily　tested　as　catalyst　support　and　negative　electrode　material　for　lithium　ion　battery　and　exhibited　good　performance.　This　study　would　inspire　further　study　on　formation　mechanism　of　monolayer　carbon,　as　well　as　modification　and　functionalization　of　the　monolayer　carbon　nanoshells　for　application　in　catalysis　and　energy　conversion　and　storage.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd