Coal-based cellular products that can be custom designed to have integral
stiffeners or load paths, directed heat transfer paths, and/or directed
mass transfer paths and methods for their production are described. Such
design and production is made possible by the appropriate selection of:
starting materials, thermal treatment conditions and/or mold materials
combined in at least some instances with segregation of different starting
materials in different regions of a forming mold and/or the use of fibrous
carbonaceous layers to obtain selected reinforcement to enhance bending
and/or impact resistance. Carbon foams of a homogeneous composition
comprising at least fibrous carbonaceous mat as a reinforcing element are
also described.
