Carbon Nanotube and Graphene Aerogels – The World’s 3D Lightest Materials for Environment Applications: A Review

Carbon Nanotube and Graphene Aerogels (CNTAs & GAs)- the world’s lightest 3D materials (GA isseven times lighter than air - a cubic meter weighs just 160 grams) attracted widespread attention due to their excellent mechanical compressible properties, high temperature and thermal stability, recyclable and highly efficient organic pollutants adsorption capability (GA can absorb up to 900 times its own weight in oil and do so quickly, with one gram of Aerogel able to absorb up to 68.8 grams of organics per second). In this review, we present briefly recent progress in synthesis methods for fabrication of 3D CNTAs andGAs and their emerging applications in the field of environmental protection such as removingoil, organic pollutants, arsenic ions and other toxic metalsfrom water. Furthermore, to assist advanced research for practical applications of these 3D materials, the technical challenges are discussed, and future research directions are proposed.