Naturally occurring polysaccharides are known to be useful in applications beyond their roles in nature. They are safe to use, renewable, biodegradable, and naturally abundant, and find applications in fields such as food preservation, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Many polysaccharides form hydrogels in mild conditions, and have been explored as starting materials in the formulation of carbon aerogels. In comparison to common resorcinol/formaldehyde carbon aerogels, polysaccharides provide a “green” source of carbon. Our interest in carbon aerogels stems from their conductive nature and therefore utility in the field of electrical power storage. We have examined pectin, agar, and cellulose, along with covalent and ionic crosslinkers, as hydrogels that can be converted to carbon aerogels. A variety of hydrogel formation methods, means of drying, and conditions for pyrolysis were examined, and the resulting aerogels and carbon aerogels were assessed for porosity, surface area, and conductivity.

Formulation of conductive carbon aerogels from polysaccharide-based sources

249th National Meeting (2015)

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