Method for making monolithic metal oxide aerogels
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsMichael W. Droege, Paul R. Coronado, Lucy M. Hair
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Abstract
Transparent, monolithic metal oxide aerogels of varying densities are produced using a method in which a metal alkoxide solution and a catalyst solution are prepared separately and reacted. The resulting hydrolyzed-condensed colloidal solution is gelled, and the wet gel is contained within a sealed, but gas permeable, containment vessel during supercritical extraction of the solvent. The present invention is especially advantageous for making metal oxides other than silica that are prone to forming opaque, cracked aerogels.
Claims16
A method for making monolithic, transparent metal oxide aerogels, comprising the steps:
- (a) hydrolyzing a metal alkoxide in a solution comprising the metal alkoxide, a substoichiometric amount of water, an alcohol solvent, and a catalyst, whereby a colloidal solution is formed;
- (b) allowing the colloidal solution to gel and form an alcogel;
- (c) containing the alcogel within a containment vessel;
- (d) sealing the containment vessel so that the sealed vessel is gas permeable;
- and
- (e) supercritically drying the alcogel in the containment vessel to form a metal oxide aerogel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.