Polyimide aerogels, carbon aerogels, and metal carbide aerogels and methods of making same

A process of producing a carbon aerogel comprising the steps of

• contacting a diamine monomer and an aromatic dianhydride monomer in a first solvent under conditions conducive to formation of a poly(amic acid)), wherein the diamine monomer is an aromatic diamine, an aliphatic diamine, a bis(ω-aminoalkyl)terminated polysiloxane or a combination thereof;
• contacting the poly(amic acid) in said first solvent with a chemical dehydrating agent to form a polyimide by imidization;
• drying the polyimide gel in the presence of supercritical CO2 to afford an polyimide aerogel;
• and
• pyrolyzing the polyimide aerogel under in an inert atmosphere to form a carbon aerogel, wherein the carbon aerogel further comprises between about 0.01% and about 15% nitrogen by weight.

A polyimide aerogel consisting essentially of at least one polyimide polymer is a polyimide of the formula:

• wherein
• represents an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted alicyclic group, an optionally substituted heteroaryl group, or an optionally substituted heteroalicyclic group;
• R is an difunctional optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted difunctional alicyclic hydrocarbon group, or a combination thereof;
• and
• x is a number greater than about 2.