Synthesis of carbon fibers arrays by the sol-gel process

Abstract

This study presents a new route for the synthesis of carbon gels with a structure that includes aligned fibers of the same material. A modification of the heating process during polymerization of resorcinol and formaldehyde produces a combination of the classical polymeric nodules in carbon gels with arrays of totally aligned fibers. This new morphology, produced through a very simple process, opens up new application possibilities to the already numerous existing ones for carbon gels.