Density Tunable Graphene Aerogels Using a Sacrificial Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon

Abstract

We demonstrate a new strategy to tune the density of graphene aerogels. This facile method is capable of producing graphene aerogels over a wide density range without compromising the morphology or quality of the material. Perylenetetracarboxylic acid dianydride serves as a sacrificial filler material that can be thermally decomposed to yield a graphene aerogel with tunable density.

Self-assembly and metal-directed assembly of organic semiconductor aerogels and conductive carbon nanofiber aerogels with controllable nanoscale morphologies

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) like PTCDI lack temperature stability and at high temperatures will undergo decomposition or pyrolysis. This property has led them to be used as sacrificial materials 41 . While PAHs fully oxidize in the presence of oxygen, in an inert environment both thermal decomposition and graphitization occur.…”