Abstract: A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers. The atmosphere of the step of depositing is controlled by a two-stage gas manifold wherein stage 1 purges the reaction chamber with pure argon and stage 2 introduces the carbon precursor.

Abstract: An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a RuO2 coating. A method of: immersing a nonconductive article in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent in the presence of the article; and warming the article and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of a RuO2 coating on a portion of the article. An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a coating. The coating is made by electroless deposition, sputtering, atomic-layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A carbon nanofoam composite (such as carbon nanofoam paper) includes a carbon foam of interconnected pores of ˜10-2000 nm in size with nanometric carbon walls having a thickness on the order of 20 nm. In embodiments, the carbon nanofoam composite has electronic conductivity of greater than 20 S/cm and optionally at least ˜100 S/cm.

Abstract: A method of making a carbon nanopipe and ensemble of carbon nanopipes, comprising the steps of flowing a carbon precursor over silica fibers and thereby depositing a durable graphitizable carbon coating of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm onto the silica fibers and etching away the silica fibers to yield a three-dimensional mat of electronically networked, hollow carbon tubules. A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers.

Abstract: A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers. The atmosphere of the step of depositing is controlled by a two-stage gas manifold wherein stage 1 purges the reaction chamber with pure argon and stage 2 introduces the carbon precursor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to fabricate carbon foams comprising a bicontinuous network of disordered or irregular macropores that are three-dimensionally interconnected via nanoscopic carbon walls. The method accounts for (1) the importance of wetting (i.e., matching the surface energies of fiber to sol) and (2) the viscosity of the microheterogeneous fluid filling the voids in the carbon paper. Carbon fiber papers are mildly oxidized by plasma etching, which greatly enhances the uniform uptake of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) mixtures.

Abstract: An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a RuO2 coating. A method of: immersing a nonconductive article in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent in the presence of the article; and warming the article and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of a RuO2 coating on a portion of the article. An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a coating. The coating is made by electroless deposition, sputtering, atomic-layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method of making a carbon nanopipe and ensemble of carbon nanopipes, comprising the steps of flowing a carbon precursor over silica fibers and thereby depositing a durable graphitizable carbon coating of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm onto the silica fibers and etching away the silica fibers to yield a three-dimensional mat of electronically networked, hollow carbon tubules. A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers.