A Facile and Versatile Post-Treatment Method to Efficiently Functionalize 3D-Printed Carbon Aerogels via Introducing Tailored Metal Elements

The rigorous viscoelastic rheology limits the ink formulation for 3D-printed carbon aerogels (CAs), making their functional customization challenging. Herein, we functionalize 3D-printed CAs via a unique combination of liquid phase deposition and thermal treatment. The electrodes’ improved areal capacitance after functionalization is 3949 mF cm–2, exceeding that of the pure 3D-printed CA electrode by 33.4%, which is superior by comparison with the carbonaceous electrodes reported previously. These impressive results highlight the effectiveness of this strategy for further functionalization of 3D-printed CAs. Moreover, numerous other potential applications, including catalysis, electromagnetic shielding, and solar steam generation, may be inspired by these findings.