Methods and systems for producing carbon aerogel

1. A method of producing carbon aerogel, the method comprising:

providing a carbon-containing polymeric material;

exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to at least one of light or heat selected to produce a carbon aerogel powder; and

collecting the produced carbon aerogel powder,

wherein the produced carbon aerogel powder comprises carbon nanoparticles, and wherein the carbon aerogel powder has a porous structure with an average pore diameter of about 2.5 nm.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing polymeric material comprises a synthetic polymer, a natural polymer, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing polymeric material comprises an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a urea resin, camphor, castor oil, turpentine, a polypropylene, a polystyrene, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising raising a temperature of the carbon-containing polymeric material to about 350° C. to about 650° C. when the carbon-containing polymeric material is exposed to light.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to light comprises irradiating the carbon-containing polymeric material with the light for about 2 seconds to about 1 minute.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises a light beam produced by a laser that has a power of at least about 5 W.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the light beam has a wavelength of about 200 nm to about 11 μm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises a focused beam of sunlight.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to heat comprises heating the carbon-containing polymeric material for at least 10 minutes.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to heat comprises heating the carbon-containing polymeric material for about 2 seconds to 1 minute.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles have an average size of about 30 nm to about 75 nm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles have an average size of about 50 nm to about 55 nm.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least about 60% of the carbon nanoparticles have a size of about 30 nm to about 75 nm.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least about 50% of the carbon nanoparticles are porous carbon nanoparticles.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the porous carbon nanoparticles have an average pore diameter of at least about 1.5 nm and not more than about 50 nm.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon aerogel powder has a BET surface area of about 600 m 2 /g to about 1100 m 2 /g.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon aerogel powder has a bulk density of about 6 mg/cm 3 .

18. A method of producing carbon aerogel, the method comprising:

providing a carbon-containing polymeric material including at least one of an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a urea resin, camphor, castor oil, turpentine, a polypropylene, or a polystyrene;

exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to at least one of light or heat selected to produce the carbon aerogel; and

collecting the produced carbon aerogel,

wherein the carbon aerogel powder has a porous structure with an average pore diameter of about 2.5 nm.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein exposing the carbon-containing polymeric material to the at least one of light or heat produces carbon aerogel including a carbon aerogel powder that includes carbon nanoparticles.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles have an average size of about 30 nm to about 75 nm.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles have an average size of about 50 nm to about 55 nm.