Method of making carbon foam at low pressure

A method of making a carbon foam material comprising

• providing a carbon foam precursor,
• creating a power of said precursor,
• heating said powdered carbon foam precursor at a pressure of about 0.5 to 1.5 atmospheres at a temperature of about 20° C. to 500° C. for about 1 minute to 72 hours to effect oxidation thereof,
• cooling said oxidized carbon foam precursor powder to room temperature,
• shaping said oxidized carbon foam precursor powder by placing said oxidized carbon foam precursor powder in a mold,
• heating said oxidized carbon foam precursor powder in said mold in an inert gas environment at a pressure less than 20 atmospheres to a temperature of about 330° C. to 600° C. to foam said powdered precursor within said mold, and
• cooling said foam to room temperature.

A method of making a carbon foam material comprising

• providing a carbon foam precursor,
• creating a powder of said precursor,
• heating said powdered carbon foam precursor at a pressure of about 0.5 to 1.5 atmospheres at a temperature of about 20° C. to 500° C. for about 1 minute to 72 hours to effect oxidation thereof,
• heating said oxidized carbon foam precursor in an inert gas environment at a pressure less than 20 atmospheres to a temperature of about 330° C. to 600° C. to foam said powdered precursor,
• cooling said foam to room temperature, and
• employing bituminous coal as said carbon foam precursor.

A method of making a carbon foam material comprising

• providing a carbon foam precursor,
• creating a powder of said precursor,
• heating said powdered carbon foam precursor at a pressure of about 0.5 to 1.5 atmospheres at a temperature of about 20° C. to 500° C. for about 1 minute to 72 hours to effect oxidation thereof,
• heating said oxidized carbon foam precursor in an inert gas environment at a pressure less than 20 atmospheres to a temperature of about 330° C. to 600° C. to foam said powdered precursor,
• cooling said foam to room temperature, and
• after said oxidation, but prior to said foaming, storing said oxidized precursor.