An amalgam comprising a highly porous, carbon-enveloped structure, such as aerogel. The carbon dispersion within the aerogel substrate consists of sonicated (using ultrasonic cleanser) carbon nanotubes, which can be inserted into the aerogel/xerogel through various techniques. Procedures include mixture of nanotubes to any aerogel/xerogel preparation solution prior and/or during solgel/alcogel stage; addition of nanotubes to aerogel during any solvent exchange with liquids (ethanol, etc.) or gas (carbon dioxide, etc.) as a solgel/alcogel; permeation of vapor containing nanotubes (by way of carbon burning using the Kratschmer-Huffman, or any other related, similar machine) in aerogel/solgel/alcogel/xerogel pore structure and/or preparation solutions; intravenous introduction of nanotubes, manually or by way of any conveyance device (i.e. syringe) to finished aerogels/xerogels or solgels/alcogels.