Enhanced thermal transport in carbon aerogel nanocomposites containing double-walled carbon nanotubes

We report thermal conductivity measurements of a carbon aerogel nanocomposite containing double-walled carbon nanotubes. The nanocomposites were prepared by the sol-gel polymerization of resorcinol with formaldehyde in aqueous suspension containing a surfactant-stabilized dispersion of double-walled carbon nanotubes. Subsequent drying and pyrolysis resulted in free-standing monolithic carbon aerogel nanocomposites with uniform dispersions of carbon nanotubes. The monoliths were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and thermal conductivity measurements via the transient hot-wire method. Enhanced thermal conductivities were observed for carbon aerogel nanocomposites relative to pristine carbon aerogels. The details of these results are discussed in comparison with theory and literature.