Sustainable tire waste aerogel with tunable flexibility made from recycled tires for automotive applications

A method of manufacturing an elastic polymer aerogel material, the method comprising:

• dissolving tire waste in a first portion of a solvent to form a first mixture;
• dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in a second portion of the solvent to form a second mixture;
• combining the first mixture and the second mixture, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel;
• and
• undergoing a solvent exchange on the reactant gel followed by freeze drying the reactant gel to form the elastic polymer aerogel material,
• wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure, and
• wherein, prior to the combining step, the first mixture is prepared and held at about 60° C. for about 48 hours and the second mixture is prepared and held at about 60° C. for about 6 hours.