Abstract By leveraging decades of research on the catalytic synthesis of carbon nanofibers and combining it with unique processing methodology, low density monolithic carbon can be created. The process is simple, scalable and controllable. Analysis of deposition kinetics reveals that the final density of centimeter-scale carbon monoliths can be determined through basic process parameters, and the synthesis can be performed with a single step in as little as 1 h. In general, this material can be created over a large range of density (20–700 mg/cc), possesses high surface area (∼215 m 2 /g), is comprised of a mixture of straight and twisted carbon nanofibers (∼150–500 nm in diameter) with low crystallinity, which results in low electrical conductivity (1.32–2.83 S/m) and low thermal conductivity (∼0.03 W/mK), even at the highest densities. The materials are mechanically robust, with density-dependent elasticity values of 60–600 kPa. The methods and properties are discussed in context with other low-density carbon materials. The principal advantages of the process used in this work include the simplicity, direct control of density, and most notably, the ability to create this material with specific bulk geometry.

中文翻译：

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纳米纤维碳气凝胶的多尺度设计：合成、性能以及与其他低密度碳材料的比较

摘要 通过利用对碳纳米纤维催化合成数十年的研究，并将其与独特的加工方法相结合，可以制造出低密度的整体碳。该过程简单、可扩展和可控。沉积动力学分析表明，厘米级碳单块的最终密度可以通过基本工艺参数确定，合成可以在短短 1 小时内完成。一般来说，这种材料可以在大范围的密度 (20–700 mg/cc) 上制造，具有高表面积 (~215 m 2 /g)，由直的和扭曲的碳纳米纤维 (~150 –500 nm 直径）具有低结晶度，这导致低电导率 (1.32–2.83 S/m) 和低热导率 (~0.03 W/mK)，即使在最高密度下也是如此。这些材料在机械上很坚固，与密度相关的弹性值为 60-600 kPa。这些方法和特性在与其他低密度碳材料的背景下讨论。这项工作中使用的工艺的主要优点包括简单、直接控制密度，最显着的是能够创建具有特定体积几何形状的这种材料。