Design and preparation of novel advanced carbon materials with unique architecture and functional groups is of great significance. Herein, a spongy acetylenic carbon material (SACM) was prepared through mechanochemical reaction of CaC2 and chlorinated rubber in a planetary ball mill at ambient temperature. Its composition and structure were characterized, and its electrochemical properties and adsorption performance for Hg2+ were studied. The SACM is composed of submicron spongy aggregates with high carbon content (81.8%) and specific area (503.9 m(2).g (-1)), rich porosity and acetylenic groups. The SACM exhibits excellent adsorption for Hg2+ with saturated adsorption amount being 157.1 mg.g(-1), which is superior to conventional carbon materials. Further, it exhibits good electrochemical performance with low equivalent series resistance (0.50 Omega), excellent cycling stability and ideal double layer capacitive behavior. This paper provides a novel and universal synthesis method of spongy carbon materials, and better results can be expected through tuning the pore structure, graphitization degree, and heteroatoms of the target carbon materials. (C) 2019 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.