Abstract: Forming a photocatalyst/aerogel composite includes contacting an aerogel including a porous carbon nanotube network with a solution including a photocatalyst precursor to yield a wet gel. The porous carbon nanotube network includes carbon nanotubes, nodes, and struts. Each node is defined by a region in which two of the carbon nanotubes are in direct contact with each other, and each strut is defined by one of the carbon nanotubes extending between a first node and a second node. Forming the photocatalyst/aerogel composite further includes initiating a chemical reaction in the wet gel to form, on the nodes and struts, photocatalyst nanoparticles from the photocatalyst precursor, and removing liquid from the wet gel to yield an aerogel composite defining pores and including the photocatalyst nanoparticles. The photocatalyst nanoparticles are covalently bonded to the nodes and the struts throughout the porous carbon nanotube network.

Abstract: Forming a photocatalyst/aerogel composite includes contacting an aerogel including a porous carbon nanotube network with a solution including a photocatalyst precursor to yield a wet gel. The porous carbon nanotube network includes carbon nanotubes, nodes, and struts. Each node is defined by a region in which two of the carbon nanotubes are in direct contact with each other, and each strut is defined by one of the carbon nanotubes extending between a first node and a second node. Forming the photocatalyst/aerogel composite further includes initiating a chemical reaction in the wet gel to form, on the nodes and struts, photocatalyst nanoparticles from the photocatalyst precursor, and removing liquid from the wet gel to yield an aerogel composite defining pores and including the photocatalyst nanoparticles. The photocatalyst nanoparticles are covalently bonded to the nodes and the struts throughout the porous carbon nanotube network.