High‐Performance Multifunctional Carbon Fibrous Sponges Derived from Pitch

Abstract 3D carbon‐based porous sponges are recognized for significant potential in oil absorption and electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, their widespread application is hindered by a common compromise between high performance and affordability of mass production. Herein, a novel approach is introduced that involves laser‐assisted micro‐zone heating melt‐blown spinning (LMHMS) to address this challenge by creating pitch‐based submicron carbon fibers (PSCFs) sponge with 3D interconnected structures. These structures bestow the resulting sponge exceptional characteristics including low density (≈20 mg cm⁻³), high porosity (≈99%), remarkable compressibility (80% maximum strain), and superior conductivity (≈628 S m⁻¹). The resultant PSCF sponges realize an oil/organic solvent sorption capacity over 56 g/g and possess remarkable regenerated ability. In addition to their effectiveness in cleaning up oil/organic solvent spills, they also demonstrated strong electromagnetic shielding capabilities, with a total shielding effectiveness (SE) exceeding 60 dB across the X‐band GHz range. In virtue of extreme lightweight of ≈20 mg cm⁻³, the specific SE of the PSCF sponge reaches as high as ≈1466 dB cm³ g⁻¹, surpassing the performance of numerous carbon‐based porous structures. Thus, the unique blend of properties renders these sponges promising for transforming strategies in addressing oil/organic solvent contaminations and providing effective protection against EMI.