The microcellular graphitic foam is a porous, lightweight solid made of interconnected ligaments and cells of graphitic planes. Since the structure is 80% to 90% porous, these solids have a high interface/volume ratio, and surface-driven properties such as atmospheric tolerance and bond formation with the matrix material are crucial for applicability. This calls for controlled surface modification, which is complicated by the fact that the "surface" is made of nonplanar cell walls, most of which are accessible only through narrow pore openings. This has led to the investigation of selected thin film modification techniques that can permeate the porous microcellular structure.