Resorcinol-formaldehyde based aerogel precursors were infused into structural carbon fibre
weaves, then gelled and carbonised to generate a continuous monolithic matrix network. This
hierarchical carbon preform was subsequently infused with polymeric resins, both multifunctional and
structural, to produce dense composites. The resulting hierarchical composites have a nanoscale
reinforcement in the matrix at up to an order of magnitude higher loadings than typically available by
other techniques. Compression, tension, ±45° shear and short beam tests demonstrate the potential of
such matrix systems to address matrix dominated failures. However, for the best structural
performance it will be necessary to re-optimise the fibre-matrix interface, which is degraded by the
current processing regime.