Porous sol gels and methods and structures related thereto
AssigneeBoard of Trustees of Michigan State University
InventorsJeffrey Sakamoto, Ryan Patrick Maloney, Travis Thompson
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Abstract
A method of forming a porous sol gel, including a dried porous sol gel, is provided comprising forming a sol gel from a sol gel-forming composition comprising a silane solution and a catalyst solution; and non-supercritically drying the sol gel to provide a dried porous sol gel having no springback. The dried porous sol gel can include dried macroporous or mesoporous sol gels or dried hybrid aerogels. The materials may contain open or filled pores. Such materials are useful as thermal insulators.
Claims21
A method of forming a sol gel from a sol gel-forming composition comprising:
- forming the sol gel from the sol gel-forming composition, wherein the sol gel-forming composition comprises a silane solution and a catalyst solution, wherein the catalyst solution is added to the silane solution at a rate from about 1% to about 50% catalyst solution per volume per second;
- and
- non-supercritically drying the sol gel to provide a dried silicon-based porous sol gel having no springback, wherein the dried silicon-based porous sol gel is cast in place on a structure or preformed using a mold.
A method of forming a sol gel from a sol gel-forming composition comprising:
- combining a first silane solution with a first catalyst solution to form a first catalyst/silane solution, wherein the catalyst solution is added to the silane solution at a rate from about 1% to about 50% catalyst solution per volume per second;
- providing the first catalyst/silane solution to a mold or structure;
- allowing the first catalyst/silane solution to gel and age to form a silicon-based porous sol gel;
- combining a second silane solution with a second catalyst solution to form a second catalyst/silane solution, wherein the catalyst solution is added to the silane solution at a rate of from about 1% to about 50% catalyst solution per volume per second;
- casting the second catalyst/silane solution in place in the structure or mold containing the silicon-based porous sol gel to form a wet hybrid silicon-based aerogel;
- and
- non-supercritically drying the wet hybrid silicon-based aerogel to produce a dried hybrid silicon-based aerogel having no springback.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.