Carbon foams from polyacrylonitrile-borneol films prepared using coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization

A new approach is described for preparing carbon foam (CF) through coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA). Using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and borneol as a carbonaceous precursor and a blowing agent, respectively, hybrid PAN-borneol films were prepared and transferred to a honeycomb PAN membrane through blowing, drying, and pre-oxidation with the CF prepared by carbonization of the PAN film. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the CF has a homogeneous structure, having pores with an average diameter of 2.34 ± 0.73 μm. The surface of the CF, which had a thickness of 10 μm, was smooth and compact. The coaxial EHDA process can be exploited for preparing CF with tailored structures.