Abstract: Electrically gradated carbon foam materials that have changing or differing electrical properties through the thickness of the carbon foam material and methods for making these electrically gradated carbon foam materials are described herein. In some embodiments, the electrically gradated carbon foam materials exhibit increasing electrical resistivity through the thickness of the carbon foam material such that the electrical resistivity near a second surface of the carbon foam is at least 2 times greater than the electrical resistivity near a first surface of the carbon foam. These electrically gradated carbon foam materials may be used as radar absorbers, as well as in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding schemes.

Abstract: The incorporation or blending of from about 1 to about 10% by volume of a “carbide precursor” powder, preferably on the order of <100 microns in size, with a coal particulate starting material and the subsequent production of carbon foam in accordance with the method described herein, results in a carbon foam that exhibits significantly enhanced abrasive characteristics typical of those required in the polishing of, for example glass, in the manufacture of cathode ray tubes.

Abstract: Coal-based cellular products that can be custom designed to have integral stiffeners or load paths, directed heat transfer paths, and/or directed mass transfer paths and methods for their production are described. Such design and production is made possible by the appropriate selection of: starting materials, thermal treatment conditions and/or mold materials combined in at least some instances with segregation of different starting materials in different regions of a forming mold and/or the use of fibrous carbonaceous layers to obtain selected reinforcement to enhance bending and/or impact resistance. Carbon foams of a homogeneous composition comprising at least fibrous carbonaceous mat as a reinforcing element are also described.

Abstract: Coal based carbon foams that are produced by the controlled heating of coal particulate in a mold and under a non-oxidizing atmosphere and subsequently graphitized have been found to provide excellent electrode materials for electrochemical cell applications.

Abstract: An EMI shield having an EMI shielding effectiveness of greater than about 40 dB in the range of about 400 MHz to about 18 GHz is described. In some embodiments the EMI shield may exhibit a shielding effectiveness of at least about 60 db, and in other embodiment at least about 80 dB, in the range of about 400 MHz to about 8 GHz. The EMI shield may include at least two sections of rigid porous electrically conductive carbon joined together by an electrically conductive carbon containing adhesive. The rigid porous electrically conductive carbon may include electrically conductive carbon foam. The electrically conductive carbon containing adhesive may include electrically conductive carbon fibers in a polymer matrix.

Abstract: A system comprising an activated carbon bed in contact with carbon foam is described. In some embodiments, the system, which may be a fluid treatment system, may comprise an activated carbon bed and a carbon foam section covering at least a portion of a surface of the activated carbon bed. In other embodiments, a fluid treatment system may comprise two or more activated carbon beds which are at least partially separated by one or more carbon foam sections. Further embodiments of a fluid treatment system may comprise a vessel, where one or more walls of the vessel comprises carbon foam, and an activated carbon bed contained within the vessel. Still further, a fluid treatment system may comprise an activated carbon bed and a carbon foam section at least partially contained within said activated carbon bed.

Abstract: Coal-based cellular products that can be custom designed to have integral stiffeners or load paths, directed heat transfer paths, and/or directed mass transfer paths and methods for their production are described. Such design and production is made possible by the appropriate selection of starting materials, thermal treatment conditions and mold materials combined in at least some instances with segregation of different starting materials in different regions of a forming mold.

Abstract: Composites are provided having improved strength and rigidity, with respect to mass or volume, as compared to known polymeric composites or polymeric composites in combination with metal reinforcement. The composites of the present invention are metallic-polymeric composites and are comprised of polymeric composites and metallic composites. Such metallic-polymeric composites provide for composite parts having improved strength and/or rigidity, with respect to mass or volume, compared to other composite parts. The composite parts of the present invention have potential utility, for example, as aerospace craft leading edges, bodies, panels, and control surfaces.

Abstract: Coal-based cellular products that can be custom designed to have integral stiffeners or load paths, directed heat transfer paths, and/or directed mass transfer paths and methods for their production are described. Such design and production is made possible by the appropriate selection of starting materials, thermal treatment conditions and mold materials combined in at least some instances with segregation of different starting materials in different regions of a forming mold.

Abstract: A method for producing a one-piece carbon foam article having a complex geometric shape is described. The method may include heating a carbonizable polymeric foam article having a complex geometric shape to temperature sufficient to carbonize the polymer foam and produce carbon foam. The resulting carbon foam article retains substantially the same shape and physical pore structure of the carbonizable polymeric foam article.

Abstract: Carbon foam assemblies and a method for the production of such carbon foam assemblies are described where the carbon foam assemblies are characterized in that they are comprised of at least two pieces of carbon foam joined by a carbonaceous region, where carbon of the at least two pieces of carbon foam and carbonaceous region is continuous. A method for producing a carbon foam assembly may comprise bonding at least two pieces of carbonizable polymeric foam together with a carbonizable adhesive to provide a carbonizable polymeric foam assembly, and heating the carbonizable polymeric foam assembly to an elevated temperature to carbonize the carbonizable polymeric foam assembly and provide a carbon foam assembly.

Abstract: Enclosures for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference and various methods for producing such enclosures are described. Enclosures for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference may be prepared by bonding at least two sections of carbon foam with a carbonizable binder to provide an enclosure, wherein said enclosure defines an at least partially enclosed volume, and carbonizing the carbonizable binder to provide an electrically conductive carbon char. An enclosure for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference may include at least two sections of electrically conductive carbon foam interconnected by an electrically conductive carbon char. The electrically conductive carbon char is substantially electrically continuous with the sections of electrically conductive carbon foam.

Abstract: Assemblies or structures of carbon foam pieces connected with carbon char and methods for preparing such assemblies or structures are described. In certain embodiments an assembly may include two or more pieces of carbon foam bonded together by carbon char. The carbon char is derived from a carbonizable binder. A carbon foam assembly may be prepared by bonding at least one piece of carbon foam to at least one other piece of carbon foam with a carbonizable binder to provide an initial carbon foam assembly, and carbonizing the carbonizable binder of the initial carbon foam assembly to produce a carbon char and provide a carbon foam assembly.

Abstract: Carbon foam enclosures for at least partially shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and methods for making the carbon foam enclosures are described. The enclosure may comprise at least two sections of electrically conductive carbon foam interconnected by an electrically conductive carbon char that is substantially electrically continuous and substantially structurally continuous with the carbon foam of the walls.

Abstract: Carbon foam enclosures for at least partially or mostly shielding an at least partially enclosed volume from electromagnetic inference, and a method for using such enclosures, are described. The enclosure may comprise a continuous, non-planar piece of carbon foam. The continuous, non-planar piece of carbon foam may comprise at least two walls an angle greater than zero degrees and define at least a partially enclosed volume. Alternatively, the enclosure may include at least one curved wall and define at least a partially enclosed volume. The carbon foam of the enclosure is electrically conductive. The invention may also include a method for producing a carbon foam electromagnetic interference shielding enclosure.

Abstract: A high temperature work surface is described that is resistant to heat and relatively non-reactive to the atmosphere when heat is applied. The work surface may be included in a high temperature work station and may comprise one or more layers of carbonized carbon foam. The carbonized carbon foam may have a thermal conductivity below about 2 W/mK. The work surface may be portable panels or may be incorporated into another surface, table, wall or the like. The work surface may be used to shield surrounding areas from high heat applications.

Abstract: Methods for the production of carbon foam from swelling coals that do not require the use of high process pressures, oxidized coal, devolatized coal, or high-strength, foam expansion confining molds are described. In some embodiments, a comminuted swelling bituminous coal is heated to a first elevated temperature sufficient to result in the coal particles softening and melting together to form a substantially homogeneous open cell plastic carbon material. The substantially homogeneous open cell plastic carbon material may then be heated to a second elevated temperature at a slow rate to form carbon foam. In some embodiments, the resulting carbon foam may be heated to a higher third elevated temperature. The resulting carbon foam may be subsequently heated to elevated temperatures as great as 3200° C. or more.

Abstract: Carbon foams exhibiting a dielectric constant of from about 2 to about 6 and simultaneously an electrical resistivity in the range of between about 1.E+00 ohm-cm and about 1.E+06 ohm-cm, demonstrate excellent radar emission absorptivity in the megahertz and gigahertz ranges.

Abstract: A method for the fabrication of large metal matrix composite structures comprising the continuous joining by brazing or welding of aluminum matrix tape using an infrared laser to melt the surface of the tape while applying pressure to the tape and simultaneously contacting it with previously applied tape layers on a rotating mandrel. The apparatus utilized to accomplish this fabrication process may include a variety of pre and post-contact heaters and preferably includes instruments for the continuous monitoring and control of the process.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods for simultaneously producing, within a single container, two or more sections of high density carbon foam materials of defined shape. A method used to prepare high density carbon foam sections may involve heating a comminuted agglomerating bituminous coal bed, that is at least partially divided into two or more sections by the use of partitions within the coal bed, to an elevated temperature sufficient to result in the coal particles softening and melting together to form sections of a generally homogeneous, continuous, open cell carbon material. The sections of homogeneous open cell carbon material are then maintained at an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to substantially reduce or essentially eliminate the plastic properties of the bituminous coal. As desired, the resultant high density carbon foam sections may be cooled to essentially ambient temperatures or immediately or subsequently heated to elevated temperatures as great as about 3200° C.