Graphitic crystallite nanomaterials enable the simple and ultrafast synthesis of resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon aerogel monoliths

Abstract

Herein, we describe a simple and ultrafast method to synthesize carbon aerogel monoliths from resorcinol (R) and formaldehyde (F) using graphitic crystallite nanomaterials (GCNs). GCNs play the crucial roles in the simple and ultrafast synthesis of carbon aerogel monoliths. In the gelation step, GCNs significantly catalyze the addition reaction of RF resulting into the occurrence of RF gelation at room temperature within 30 min. In the drying step, GCNs not only provide the resulting aerogels with strong support to resist the high surface tension due to heat drying but also construct developed nanochannels with dimensions of hundreds of nanometers with the RF gel particles, thereby permitting water to quickly and isotropically vaporize during heat drying hydrogel. Consequently, carbon aerogel monoliths without any fractures can be synthesized within one day by direct heat drying under ambient pressure instead of the conventional 1–2 weeks. These carbon aerogels have highly developed mesoporosity, high compressive strength of 24–82 MPa and electrical conductivity of 9–25 S/cm, depending on the dosages of GCNs, catalyst and water, as well as their subsequent treatment.