Pitch-based carbon aerogels (PCAs) were prepared from the polycondensation of petroleum pitch with furfural, catalyzed with sulfuric acid. Their structure and texture were characterized by means of SEM, TEM and nitrogen adsorption and desorption. It was found that PCAs are kind of amorphous porous carbons with a three-dimensional nano-network. The composition of solvent, such as the ratio of toluene to acetate acid played an important role in the formation of the nano-network and affected drying shrinkage of the samples under ambient pressure drying process. The average diameters of the carbon nano-particles of the PCAs were about 30-60nm. Their S_(BET) and V_(mes) under proper preparation conditions were as high as 435 m~2g~(-1) and 0.44 cm~3g~(-1), respectively. The increase of T/A ratio resulted in an increase of V_(mes), and unfortunately increased the drying shrinkage of the samples under ambient pressure drying conditions. The specific capacitance of the PCA electrodes prepared was as high as 111 F·g~(-1) in 30% KOH electrolyte with cyclic voltammetry measurement at 5 mV/s.
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