Graphene monoliths have received considerable attention due to its high porosity, low density, and excellent conductivity that are of great potential in fields such as energy storage, environment remediation and catalyst support. The controllable preparation of graphene monoliths with desired properties remains a great challenge. We have developed an approach that combines colloid chemistry and microwave chemistry to the fabrication of ultralight and highly compressible graphene monoliths. It has been found that the as-obtained graphene monoliths with a density as low as 3 mg/cm3 can be made by diamine-mediated functionalization and assembly, followed by microwave irradiation, which show excellent resilience and can be completely recovered after compression of over 90% in terms of the height. The properties of graphene monoliths can be further tuned by growing carbon nanotubes inside the pores of the monoliths, yielding a structure with outstanding electromechanical performance, “sticky” superhydrophobicity, and oil/water separation function. The concerned monoliths hold promise in the fields of shock damping and energy absorption.

Graphene monoliths have received considerable attention due to its high porosity, low density, and excellent conductivity that are of great potential in fields such as energy storage, environment remediation and catalyst support. The controllable preparation of graphene monoliths with desired properties remains a great challenge. We have developed an approach that combines colloid chemistry and microwave chemistry to the fabrication of ultralight and highly compressible graphene monoliths. It has been found that the as-obtained graphene monoliths with a density as low as 3 mg/cm3 can be made by diamine-mediated functionalization and assembly, followed by microwave irradiation, which show excellent resilience and can be completely recovered after compression of over 90% in terms of the height. The properties of graphene monoliths can be further tuned by growing carbon nanotubes inside the pores of the monoliths, yielding a structure with outstanding electromechanical performance, “sticky” superhydrophobicity, and oil/water separation function. The concerned monoliths hold promise in the fields of shock damping and energy absorption.