Carbon Gels and Their Applications: A Review of Patents

Abstract

Carbon gels are highly versatile porous materials which properties can be tailored by the appropriate selection of the synthesis conditions. This feature confer them a great potential for a large number of applications, which has led to many researchers around the world to focus on the synthesis and applicability of carbon gels. Although a large number of scientific articles can be found in the literature, this chapter tries to seek to delve into the existing patents on the synthesis and applicability of carbon gels in order to elucidate (i) if the synthesis process of carbon gels is mature enough to be transferred to the industry, (ii) if carbon gels really have a wide sales market and (iii) if these materials can be offered at competitive prices. Moreover, a dissertation is made on patents focused in the applications of carbon gels in fields as diverse as energy storage applications, catalyst supports, coatings, or even cushion materials. This chapter shows the great versatility and great commercial potential of carbon gels.