Methods of electrophoretic deposition for functionally graded porous nanostructures and systems thereof

A product, comprising:

• a carbon aerogel including a plurality of shaped particles therein,
• wherein the plurality of shaped particles have a particle packing density gradient in a thickness direction of the carbon aerogel, the particle packing density being a measure of a degree of how tightly packed the shaped particles are with respect to each other in the carbon aerogel,
• wherein a higher particle packing density corresponds to more tightly packed particles than a lower particle packing density,
• wherein the thickness direction of the carbon aerogel is perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the shaped particles,
• wherein the shaped particles are characterized by being formed in an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process using an impurity,
• wherein the carbon aerogel is substantially free of the impurity and the shaped particles are hollow spheres consisting of carbon, and
• wherein a size of the shaped particles in the carbon aerogel is substantially equal.

A product, comprising:

• a carbon aerogel including a first plurality of shaped particles in a first portion of the carbon aerogel,
• wherein the first plurality of shaped particles have a first particle packing density gradient in a thickness direction of the first portion of the carbon aerogel, the first particle packing density being a measure of a degree of how tightly packed the shaped particles are with respect to each other in the first portion of the carbon aerogel,
• wherein a higher particle packing density corresponds to more tightly packed particles than a lower particle packing density,
• wherein the thickness direction of the first portion of the carbon aerogel is perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the first plurality of shaped particles,
• wherein the first plurality of shaped particles in the first portion of the carbon aerogel are hollow spheres consisting of carbon.