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High-performance porous polyimide (PI) monoliths, including PI aerogels, sponges, and foams, have become one of the hotspots in both researching and applications due to their superior properties such as high porosity, outstanding mechanical and thermal stability, low dielectric constant and thermal conductivity. Up to now, various fabricating methods and applicating situations for PI porous monolith materials have been reported. From the viewpoint of molecular chemistry, porous structure construction, as well as the functional modification, the property optimization and adjustment are feasible, endowing PI monoliths with promising potential for different practical applications (e.g. sensors, low-k materials, thermal management, energy field and utilization, absorption and filtration, photonic utilization, etc.). In this review, the recent progress of porous PI monoliths was summarized in detail based on the fabrication methods, functional modifications, as well as multi-functional applications. Besides, the future perspectives of this field were also provided for reference. Apart from presenting an overview of progress made in the field of PI porous monoliths, this review could also be meaningful for those researching topics which have similarity within. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical porous carbon-based electrodes, benefiting from their facilitated ion diffusion and electron conduction, have demonstrated enormous potential in supercapacitors. The preparation of hierarchical carbons with uniformity and appropriate porosity, however, still remains a grand challenge, which hinders their widespread applications. Herein, a hierarchical porous polyimide-derived carbon electrode (CPC-Fe/Zn) has been fabricated by employing bimetallic salts (Fe/Zn) as precursor and template to activate the cellulose/polyimide (PI) carbon (CPC). Originating from suitable distribution of mesopores and micropores, the obtained CPC-Fe/Zn delivers a high specific capacitance of 420 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. Moreover, a symmetric supercapacitor device assembled with CPC-Fe/Zn exhibits delivers an energy density of 35.5 Wh/kg at a power density of 800 W/kg. Even at a larger current density of 20 A/g, the specific capacitance retention of such device still remains 92.5 % after 10,000 cycles, showing the rate performance and stability. This work has proposed a bimetallic salts template-assisted strategy to precisely modulate of the pore structure of carbon electrodes, which provides a promising platform to design superior electrodes for various electrochemical systems. [Display omitted] • The hierarchically porous structure of the material can be modulated precisely. • The symmetric supercapacitor exhibited a remarkable energy density of 35.5 Wh/kg @ 1000 W/kg. • The specific capacitance retention of symmetric supercapacitor reached 92.5 % after 10,000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]