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AssigneesOhio Aerospace Institute, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsNicholas Leventis, Mary Ann B. Meador, James C. Johnston, Eve F. Fabrizio, Ulvi F. Ilhan
Estimating the term…
Structurally stable and mechanically strong ceramic oxide aerogels are provided. The aerogels are cross-linked via organic polymer chains that are attached to and extend from surface-bound functional groups provided or present over the internal surfaces of a mesoporous ceramic oxide particle network via appropriate chemical reactions. The functional groups can be hydroxyl groups, which are native to ceramic oxides, or they can be non-hydroxyl functional groups that can be decorated over the internal surfaces of the ceramic oxide network. Methods of preparing such mechanically strong ceramic oxide aerogels also are provided.
A structure comprising a solid-phase three-dimensional network of ceramic oxide particles having non-hydroxyl functional groups bound to surfaces of said particles via non-hydrolysable bonds, said network of ceramic oxide particles being cross-linked via organic polymer chains that are attached to said particles via reaction with at least a portion of said surface-bound non-hydroxyl functional groups, said organic polymer chains being in the form of a substatntially conformal polymer coating over said three-dimensional ceramic oxide particle network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.