Handbook of Thermosetting Foams, Aerogels, and Hydrogels: From Fundamentals to Advanced Applications

Abstract

Carbon foam (CF) is a porous, three-dimensional structural material having either closed or open cells connected with smooth skeletons called ligaments. These materials show good performance in traits like featherweight, physical and mechanical properties, high electronic and thermal conductivity, high microwave absorption capability, electron magnetic interference shielding properties, corrosion resistance, and exceptional surface area. Its synthesis and utilization have achieved significant advancements. Porosity and pore size can be tailored based on the precursor material and technique of manufacture. Among the various precursors used for CF synthesis, polymeric materials are of particular interest. CFs from polymer precursors offer advantages such as low density, thermal stability, tunable porosity, and ease of processing. They find applications in areas such as thermal insulation, lightweight structural components, energy storage devices (batteries and supercapacitors), catalyst supports, and more. They have a variety of applications due to the unique properties of the resulting CF, which vary based on the polymer precursor, carbon supply, processing conditions, and any posttreatment procedures used. This chapter presents the preparation methods, specific properties, and applications of CFs from various polymeric precursors such as epoxy, polyimide, lignin, and cellulosic polymers. Special foaming conditions and preparation techniques making them suitable for crucial applications such as energy storage, controlling thermal variations, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are also explained. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.