The development of multifunctional carbon materials from sustainable and easily processed precursors is critical for advancing environmentally responsible technologies in energy, electronics, and waste remediation. This work presents a class of hierarchically porous graphitic aerogels (HGAs) synthesized from proteins using a template-free self-foaming pyrolysis process. Protein sources such as albumen during pyrolysis decompose` and undergo foaming, resulting in monolithic aerogels with tunable porosity. Controlled pyrolysis conditions allow modulation of the aerogels’ structural, mechanical, and electrical properties. These HGAs demonstrate strong performance across diverse applications. In electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, their interconnected conductive networks and hierarchical morphology enable effective attenuation through both absorption of electromagnetic waves. When used as anodes in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), the HGAs support high current output and biofilm growth due to their large surface area and biocompatible nature. This leads to effective ammonium oxidation and PFAS degradation in a MEC setup. This study establishes structure-property relationships connecting the thermal processing of proteins to the resulting hierarchical architecture and its functional performance. The protein-derived HGAs offer a scalable and sustainable route to high-performance carbon aerogel materials without the use of templates or hazardous chemicals.
