The present invention relates to an application of a graded pore structure porous carbon material in a lithium-air battery. The porous carbon material is characterized in that the porous carbon material has interconnected graded pore structure distribution, wherein the interconnected graded pore structure distribution comprises a mesopore structure for discharge product deposition and a macropore structure for oxygen and electrolyte transmission. According to the present invention, with application of the carbon material as the lithium-air battery electrode material, the space utilization rate of the carbon material during the charge-discharge process can be increased at a maximum, and the discharge specific capacity, the voltage platform and the rate discharge capability of the battery can be effectively increased so as to increase the energy density and the power density of the lithium-air battery; and the preparation process is simple, the material source is wide, the pore structure of the graded pore carbon material can be regulated, the regulation manner is diverse, and the metal/metal oxide doping can be concurrently and easily achieved.