The overarching goal of this project is to develop carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with multifunctional capabilities, such as load bearing, energy storage, and embedded sensing. The development of this novel material system can be broadly appealing in many applications, including aerospace sector, in which developing lighter structures as a means to enhance performance (maneuverability, fuel efficiency, endurance, etc) has been at the heart of materials design. An image of a porous CNF is shown in the figure below.