Synthesis of transparent silica aerogels with low density and better hydrophobicity by controlled sol–gel route and subsequent atmospheric pressure drying
The SiO2 aerogels of low density was fabricated by ion exchange and sol-gel method on the basis of sodium silicate. The effect of pH, aging，addition of DCCA and annealed temperature on the gel time, aerogel density, porosity and the micro-structure was systemly studied. The results showed that when the pH is 5, aging was 30%Vol .of TEOS/ethanol solution ,the addition of DCCA was 1.5ml, the gel system was annealed at 50 for 84 h, 60 for 72h, the best quality of silica aerogels with low density (0.14g/cm3), higher specific surface(610.643 m2/g) and pore size of 20~40 nm can be obtained.
Silica aerogels are low-density inorganic aerogels with a three-dimensional nanoporous structure. Due to the inherent properties of nanoporous materials, the possibility of using silica airgel is of great interest in various fields. To simplify the process and reduce costs, the use of atmospheric pressure drying (APD) is promising, the resulting materials are called xerogels. Silica xerogels based on methyltrimethoxysilane were synthesized using various alcohol solvents. The optimal combination of properties is possessed by a sample obtained using methanol as a solvent. The wetting angle of all xerogels was 158°, which characterizes the resulting material as superhydrophobic.
ABSTRACTThe classical sol-gel process for synthesizing SiO2 aerogels involves the hydrolysis/condensation of tetraethyoxysilane (TEOS) and/or teramethyoxysilane (TMOS) to produce a gel which can then be super-critically extracted to a low density, highly porous aerogel glass. Controlled hydrolysis of TEOS and TMOS leads to partially hydrolyzed compounds that can be subsequently water processed to form silica aerogels in the density range from .020 to .500 gms/cc. The partially hydrolyzed compounds are stable when sealed from moist air and can be stored for future use.We discuss the controlled conditions used to obtain these compounds and present data that characterize their structure. We detail the procedures for preparing the wide range of aerogel densities. We also report on their use as an adhesive.
Silica aerogels have been prepared through sol-gel process by polymerization of TEOS in the presence of NH4F and NH4OH as catalysts. The solvent present in the gel is replaced by ethanol followed by a non-polar solvent such as n-hexane prior to solvent modification step. Gels are made hydrophobic by treating them with HMDZ to prevent rupture during drying, which has been confirmed by FTIR. Gels are then washed and dried carefully in a PID controlled oven at atmospheric pressure. The ageing duration and solvent exchange combinations are optimized to yield crack-free gels prior to drying. Aerogels are characterized for density, specific surface area, pore volume, pore size, thermal stability and contact angle. Hydrophobic, high surface area (570 m2/g), low density (0.07 g/cm3) silica aerogels are synthesized by using optimized mole ratio of precursors and catalysts. Silica aerogel granules (1-3 mm) as well as monoliths (Ф~35 mm) could be produced through ambient pressure drying of gels.
Poly-aluminum silicate sulphate (PASS) was synthesized in a mixed aqueous solution of sodium silicate and aluminum silicate via a sol–gel method for use in ultra-low density fiberboard (ULDF).
Silica aerogel, the most common type of aerogels, comprised of 95% air in its structure which made the aerogel has a high surface area, high porosity, low density, and low thermal conductivity. Because of its structure and high porosity, one of its major weakness compared to other materials
is being very brittle. This study aims at strengthening the connection points between silica nanoparticles using Pluronic10R5 (poly(propylene oxide)8–poly(ethylene oxide)22–poly(propylene oxide)8) where the Pluronic10R5 was used to reduce phase
separation during the silica condensation reaction in the sol–gel process. Silica aerogel monoliths were prepared via a sol–gel process from hydrophobic silica gels and Pluronic10R5 with an ambient pressure drying (APD) process. Results from the compression test showed that the
Pluronic10R5/silica aerogels have improved mechanical property by ten times that of unmodified silica aerogels. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed a mass loss at 300–400 °C that is attributed to the surface methyl group, while a mass loss at 200 °C refers to the loss of
Pluronic10R5 which confirms the incorporation of Pluronic10R5 into the monolith. Moreover, infrared (IR) images revealed that the top surface temperature of Pluronic10R5/silica aerogels monolith is about 80 °C differs from the bottom heat source temperature of 160 °C.
Study of the influence of various solvents on the properties of hydrophobic silica xerogels