Assessment of Methods to Consolidate Iodine-Loaded Silver-Functionalized Silica Aerogel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matyas, Josef; Engler, Robert K.

2013-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy is currently investigating alternative sorbents for the removal and immobilization of radioiodine from the gas streams in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. One of these new sorbents, Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels, shows great promise as a potential replacement for Ag-bearing mordenites because of its high selectivity and sorption capacity for iodine. Moreover, a feasible consolidation of iodine-loaded Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels to a durable SiO2-based waste form makes this aerogel an attractive choice for sequestering radioiodine. This report provides a preliminary assessment of the methods that can be used to consolidate iodine-loaded Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels into a final waste form. In particular, it focuses on experimental investigation of densification of as prepared Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels powders, with or without organic moiety and with or without sintering additive (colloidal silica), with three commercially available techniques: 1) hot uniaxial pressing (HUP), 2) hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and 3) spark plasma sintering (SPS). The densified products were evaluated with helium gas pycnometer for apparent density, with the Archimedes method for apparent density and open porosity, and with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for the extent of densification and distribution of individual elements. The preliminary investigation of HUP, HIP, and SPS showed that these sintering methods can effectively consolidate powders of Ag0-functionalized silica aerogel into products of near-theoretical density. Also, removal of organic moiety and adding 5.6 mass% of colloidal silica to Ag0-functionalized silica aerogel powders before processing provided denser products. Furthermore, the ram travel data for SPS indicated that rapid consolidation of powders can be performed at temperatures below 950°C.

Basic science of new aerogels. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-08-01

Feasibility of making monolithic composite aerogels containing silica and natural clay minerals, synthetic clay minerals or zeolites has been demonstrated, using two different processes; up to 30 wt% of the mineral phase has been successfully added. Addition of natural and synthetic clay minerals or zeolites to silica aerosols was shown to retard densification. Composite silica aerogels showed significant surface area still present after sintering at 800 or 1000 C. For most samples, 1 wt% of the second phase is equally effective in retarding densification as 10 wt%. Composite aerogels, in general, had lower hardness values than pure silica. Hardness values were inversely proportional to aerogel pore radius.

Polyolefin-Based Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Je Kyun; Gould, George

2012-01-01

An organic polybutadiene (PB) rubberbased aerogel insulation material was developed that will provide superior thermal insulation and inherent radiation protection, exhibiting the flexibility, resiliency, toughness, and durability typical of the parent polymer, yet with the low density and superior insulation properties associated with the aerogels. The rubbery behaviors of the PB rubber-based aerogels are able to overcome the weak and brittle nature of conventional inorganic and organic aerogel insulation materials. Additionally, with higher content of hydrogen in their structure, the PB rubber aerogels will also provide inherently better radiation protection than those of inorganic and carbon aerogels. Since PB rubber aerogels also exhibit good hydrophobicity due to their hydrocarbon molecular structure, they will provide better performance reliability and durability as well as simpler, more economic, and environmentally friendly production over the conventional silica or other inorganic-based aerogels, which require chemical treatment to make them hydrophobic. Inorganic aerogels such as silica aerogels demonstrate many unusual and useful properties. There are several strategies to overcoming the drawbacks associated with the weakness and brittleness of silica aerogels. Development of the flexible fiber-reinforced silica aerogel composite blanket has proven one promising approach, providing a conveniently fielded form factor that is relatively robust toward handling in industrial environments compared to silica aerogel monoliths. However, the flexible silica aerogel composites still have a brittle, dusty character that may be undesirable, or even intolerable, in certain applications. Although the cross-linked organic aerogels such as resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF), polyisocyanurate, and cellulose aerogels show very high impact strength, they are also very brittle with little elongation (i.e., less rubbery). Also, silica and carbon aerogels are less efficient

Preparation and characterization of silica aerogels from diatomite via ambient pressure drying

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Baomin; Ma, Hainan; Song, Kai

2014-07-01

The silica aerogels were successfully fabricated under ambient pressure from diatomite. The influence of different dilution ratios of diatomite filtrate on physical properties of aerogels were studied. The microstructure, surface functional groups, thermal stability, morphology and mechanical properties of silica aerogels based on diatomite were investigated by BET adsorption, FT-IR, DTA-TG, FESEM, TEM, and nanoindentation methods. The results indicate that the filtrate diluted with distilled water in a proportion of 1: 2 could give silica aerogels in the largest size with highest transparency. The obtained aerogels with density of 0.122-0.203 g/m3 and specific surface area of 655.5-790.7 m2/g are crack free amorphous solids and exhibited a sponge-like structure. Moreover, the peak pore size resided at 9 nm. The initial aerogels were hydrophobic, when being heat-treated around 400°C, the aerogels were transformed into hydrophilic ones. The obtained aerogel has good mechanical properties.

Faraday rotation measurements in maghemite-silica aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taboada, E.; Real, R.P. del; Gich, M.; Roig, A.; Molins, E.

2006-01-01

Faraday rotation measurements have been performed on γ-Fe 2 O 3 /SiO 2 nanocomposite aerogels which are light, porous and transparent magnetic materials. The materials have been prepared by sol-gel polymerization of a silicon alkoxide, impregnation of the intermediate silica gel with a ferrous salt and supercritical drying of the gels. During supercritical evacuation of the solvent, spherical nanoparticles of iron oxide, with a mean particle diameter of 8.1±2.0 nm, are formed and are found to be homogenously distributed within the silica matrix. The specific Faraday rotation of the composite was measured at 0.6 T using polarized light of 810 nm, being 29.6 deg./cm. The changes in the plane of polarization of the transmitted light and the magnetization of the material present similar magnetic field dependencies and are characteristic of a superparamagnetic system

Optically Transparent Thermally Insulating Silica Aerogels for Solar Thermal Insulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Günay, A Alperen; Kim, Hannah; Nagarajan, Naveen; Lopez, Mateusz; Kantharaj, Rajath; Alsaati, Albraa; Marconnet, Amy; Lenert, Andrej; Miljkovic, Nenad

2018-04-18

Rooftop solar thermal collectors have the potential to meet residential heating demands if deployed efficiently at low solar irradiance (i.e., 1 sun). The efficiency of solar thermal collectors depends on their ability to absorb incoming solar energy and minimize thermal losses. Most techniques utilize a vacuum gap between the solar absorber and the surroundings to eliminate conduction and convection losses, in combination with surface coatings to minimize reradiation losses. Here, we present an alternative approach that operates at atmospheric pressure with simple, black, absorbing surfaces. Silica based aerogels coated on black surfaces have the potential to act as simple and inexpensive solar thermal collectors because of their high transmission to solar radiation and low transmission to thermal radiation. To demonstrate their heat-trapping properties, we fabricated tetramethyl orthosilicate-based silica aerogels. A hydrophilic aerogel with a thickness of 1 cm exhibited a solar-averaged transmission of 76% and thermally averaged transmission of ≈1% (at 100 °C). To minimize unwanted solar absorption by O-H groups, we functionalized the aerogel to be hydrophobic, resulting in a solar-averaged transmission of 88%. To provide a deeper understanding of the link between aerogel properties and overall efficiency, we developed a coupled radiative-conductive heat transfer model and used it to predict solar thermal performance. Instantaneous solar thermal efficiencies approaching 55% at 1 sun and 80 °C were predicted. This study sheds light on the applicability of silica aerogels on black coatings for solar thermal collectors and offers design priorities for next-generation solar thermal aerogels.

Larnite powders and larnite/silica aerogel composites as effective agents for CO{sub 2} sequestration by carbonation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, A., E-mail: alberto.santos@uca.es [Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Cadiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz (Spain); Ajbary, M.; Morales-Florez, V. [Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Cadiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz (Spain); Kherbeche, A. [Universite Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Ecole Superieure de Technologie, Fes (Morocco); Pinero, M. [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cadiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cadiz (Spain); Esquivias, L. [Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Fisica, Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC), Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla (Spain)

2009-09-15

This paper presents the results of the carbonation reaction of two sample types: larnite (Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) powders and larnite/silica aerogel composites, the larnite acting as an active phase in a process of direct mineral carbonation. First, larnite powders were synthesized by the reaction of colloidal silica and calcium nitrate in the presence of ethylene glycol. Then, to synthesize the composites, the surface of the larnite powders was chemically modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and later this mixture was added to a silica sol previously prepared from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). The resulting humid gel was dried in an autoclave under supercritical conditions for the ethanol. The textures and chemical compositions of the powders and composites were characterized.The carbonation reaction of both types of samples was evaluated by means of X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. Both techniques confirm the high efficiency of the reaction at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. A complete transformation of the silicate into carbonate resulted after submitting the samples to a flow of pure CO{sub 2} for 15 min. This indicates that for this reaction time, 1 t of larnite could eliminate about 550 kg of CO{sub 2}. The grain size, porosity, and specific surface area are the factors controlling the reaction.

Alumina/silica aerogel with zinc chloride as an alkylation catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DEJAN U. SKALA

2001-10-01

Full Text Available The alumina/silica with zinc chloride aerogel alkylation catalyst was obtained using a one step sol-gel synthesis, and subsequent drying with supercritical carbon dioxide. The aerogel catalyst activity was found to be higher compared to the corresponding xerogel catalyst, as a result of the higher aerogel surface area, total pore volume and favourable pore size distribution. Mixed Al–O–Si bonds were present in both gel catalyst types. Activation by thermal treatment in air was needed prior to catalytic alkylation, due to the presence of residual organic groups on the aerogel surface. The optimal activation temperature was found to be in the range 185–225°C, while higher temperatures resulted in the removal of zinc chloride from the surface of the aerogel catalyst with a consequential decrease in the catalytic activity. On varying the zinc chloride content, the catalytic activity of the aerogel catalyst exhibited a maximum. High zinc chloride contents decreased the catalytic activity of the aerogel catalyst as the result of the pores of the catalyst being plugged with this compound, and the separation of the alumina/silica support into Al-rich and Si-rich phases. The surface area, total pore volume, pore size distribution and zinc chloride content had a similar influence on the activity of the aerogel catalyst as was the case of xerogel catalyst and supported zinc chloride catalysts.

Modeling silica aerogel optical performance by determining its radiative properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lin; Yang, Sungwoo; Bhatia, Bikram; Strobach, Elise; Wang, Evelyn N.

2016-02-01

Silica aerogel has been known as a promising candidate for high performance transparent insulation material (TIM). Optical transparency is a crucial metric for silica aerogels in many solar related applications. Both scattering and absorption can reduce the amount of light transmitted through an aerogel slab. Due to multiple scattering, the transmittance deviates from the Beer-Lambert law (exponential attenuation). To better understand its optical performance, we decoupled and quantified the extinction contributions of absorption and scattering separately by identifying two sets of radiative properties. The radiative properties are deduced from the measured total transmittance and reflectance spectra (from 250 nm to 2500 nm) of synthesized aerogel samples by solving the inverse problem of the 1-D Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE). The obtained radiative properties are found to be independent of the sample geometry and can be considered intrinsic material properties, which originate from the aerogel's microstructure. This finding allows for these properties to be directly compared between different samples. We also demonstrate that by using the obtained radiative properties, we can model the photon transport in aerogels of arbitrary shapes, where an analytical solution is difficult to obtain.

Evaluations of Silica Aerogel-Based Flexible Blanket as Passive Thermal Control Element for Spacecraft Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Mohammed Adnan; Rashmi, S.; Esther, A. Carmel Mary; Bhavanisankar, Prudhivi Yashwantkumar; Sherikar, Baburao N.; Sridhara, N.; Dey, Arjun

2018-03-01

The feasibility of utilizing commercially available silica aerogel-based flexible composite blankets as passive thermal control element in applications such as extraterrestrial environments is investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that aerogel blanket was thermally stable over - 150 to 126 °C. The outgassing behavior, e.g., total mass loss, collected volatile condensable materials, water vapor regained and recovered mass loss, was within acceptable range recommended for the space applications. ASTM tension and tear tests confirmed the material's mechanical integrity. The thermo-optical properties remained nearly unaltered in simulated space environmental tests such as relative humidity, thermal cycling and thermo-vacuum tests and confirmed the space worthiness of the aerogel. Aluminized Kapton stitched or anchored to the blanket could be used to control the optical transparency of the aerogel. These outcomes highlight the potential of commercial aerogel composite blankets as passive thermal control element in spacecraft. Structural and chemical characterization of the material was also done using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Modeling silica aerogel optical performance by determining its radiative properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Zhao

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Silica aerogel has been known as a promising candidate for high performance transparent insulation material (TIM. Optical transparency is a crucial metric for silica aerogels in many solar related applications. Both scattering and absorption can reduce the amount of light transmitted through an aerogel slab. Due to multiple scattering, the transmittance deviates from the Beer-Lambert law (exponential attenuation. To better understand its optical performance, we decoupled and quantified the extinction contributions of absorption and scattering separately by identifying two sets of radiative properties. The radiative properties are deduced from the measured total transmittance and reflectance spectra (from 250 nm to 2500 nm of synthesized aerogel samples by solving the inverse problem of the 1-D Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE. The obtained radiative properties are found to be independent of the sample geometry and can be considered intrinsic material properties, which originate from the aerogel’s microstructure. This finding allows for these properties to be directly compared between different samples. We also demonstrate that by using the obtained radiative properties, we can model the photon transport in aerogels of arbitrary shapes, where an analytical solution is difficult to obtain.

Low-temperature specific-heat and thermal-conductivity of silica aerogels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernasconi, A.; Sleator, T.; Posselt, D.

1992-01-01

Specific heat, C(p), and thermal conductivity, lambda, have been measured on a series of base-catalyzed silica aerogels at temperatures between 0.05 and 20 K. Results for both C(p)(T) and lambda(T) confirm that the different length-scale regions observed in the aerogel structure are reflected...

Fractal Structures on Silica Aerogels Containing Titanium: A Small Angle Neutron Scattering Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widya Sari; Dian Fitriyani; Abdul Aziz Mohamed; Noordin Ibrahim

2009-01-01

Full text: The fractal structure of silica aerogels containing titanium has been investigated by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique. The SANS experiments were conducted using a 36 meter SANS BATAN spectrometer (SMARTer) in Serpong, Indonesia in the range of momentum transfer Q, 0.006 -1 ) < 0.3. The power-law for a fractal object scattering Q-D observed from all measured samples. The Fourier transform of pattern I(Q) a pair correlation model function was implemented in analyzing the structure factor from the power-law scattering profiles. The results are showing that the silica aerogels containing titanium has a mass fractal where its dimension DM is larger than the pure silica aerogels. The mass fractal dimension of silica aerogels containing titanium is relatively constant between 2.23 to 2.40 with the decrease of acid concentrations during a sol-gel process and formed a nanometer size of aggregate. Those fractal structures were simulated using a Delphi language and the results are presented in this paper. (author)

Synthesis and Characterization of Fibre Reinforced Silica Aerogel Blankets for Thermal Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Chakraborty

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS as the source of silica, fibre reinforced silica aerogels were synthesized via fast ambient pressure drying using methanol (MeOH, trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS, ammonium fluoride (NH4F, and hexane. The molar ratio of TEOS/MeOH/(COOH2/NH4F was kept constant at 1 : 38 : 3.73 × 10−5 : 0.023 and the gel was allowed to form inside the highly porous meta-aramid fibrous batting. The wet gel surface was chemically modified (silylation process using various concentrations of TMCS in hexane in the range of 1 to 20% by volume. The fibre reinforced silica aerogel blanket was obtained subsequently through atmospheric pressure drying. The aerogel blanket samples were characterized by density, thermal conductivity, hydrophobicity (contact angle, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The radiant heat resistance of the aerogel blankets was examined and compared with nonaerogel blankets. It has been observed that, compared to the ordinary nonaerogel blankets, the aerogel blankets showed a 58% increase in the estimated burn injury time and thus ensure a much better protection from heat and fire hazards. The effect of varying the concentration of TMCS on the estimated protection time has been examined. The improved thermal stability and the superior thermal insulation of the flexible aerogel blankets lead to applications being used for occupations that involve exposure to hazards of thermal radiation.

Elastic properties of silica aerogels from a new rapid supercritical extraction process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gross, J.; Coronado, P.R.; Hair, L.M.; Hrubesh, L.W.

1997-08-11

Silica aerogels were produced by a new process from Tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) with ammonia as base catalyst. the process involves pouring the liquid sol in a stainless steel mold and immediately heating it to supercritical conditions. Gelation and aging occurs during heating and reaction rates are high die to high average temperatures. the gel fills the container completely, which enables relatively fast venting of the supercritical fluid by providing a constraint for swelling and failure of the gel monolith. The whole process can be completed in 6 h or less. Longitudinal and shear moduli were measured in the dried aerogels by ultrasonic velocity measurements both as a function of chemical composition of the original sol and of position in the aerogel. It was found that the sound velocity exhibits marked maxima on the surface of the cylindrical specimens and specifically close to the ends, where the fluid left during venting. Specimens with high catalyst concentration and high water:TMOS ratio exhibited higher average moduli.

Refractive index of silica aerogel: Uniformity and dispersion law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Perego, D.L.; Storaci, B.

2008-01-01

Two methods for the measurement of the uniformity of the refractive index n within a single block of silica aerogel are described. One is based on the deflection of a laser beam induced by transverse index gradients. The second exploits the Cherenkov effect, measuring the emission angle of photons radiated by 500 MeV electrons traversing the aerogel. The beam can scan the full aerogel surface providing information on point to point variations of n. The measurement of the dispersion law n(λ) is also reported. An Xe lamp coupled to a diffraction grating provides the monochromatic source. The index for each λ is measured by the prism method at a corner of an aerogel sample. A Sellmeier functional form for n(λ) is assumed, and the parameters best fitting the experimental data are given

Effect of various structure directing agents on the physicochemical properties of the silica aerogels prepared at an ambient pressure

KAUST Repository

Sarawade, Pradip

2013-12-01

We studied the effects of various surfactants on the textural properties (BET surface area, pore size, and pore volume) of the silica aerogels prepared at an ambient pressure. A simple surface modification of silica gel prepared at an ambient pressure through hydrolysis and polycondensation of TEOS as asilica precursor was conducted using various structure directing agents. The treatment was found to induce a significant difference in the porosity of the silica aerogel. Highly porous silica aerogels with bimodal porous structures were prepared by modifying the surface of the silica wet-gel (alcogel) with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) in order to preserve its porosity. The samples were analyzed by small-angle X-ray scattering and nitrogen adsorption. In this work, a possible new type of highly porous hydrophobic silica aerogel with a bimodal porous structure is presented. A hydrophilic extremely porous (high surface area and large pore volume) silica aerogel was obtained by heating the as-synthesized hydrophobic silica aerogel at 400°C for 1 h. There was a significant effect of structure directing agent on the textural properties, such as specific surface area, pore size distribution and cumulative pore volume of the silicaaerogels. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of various structure directing agents on the physicochemical properties of the silica aerogels prepared at an ambient pressure

KAUST Repository

Sarawade, Pradip; Shao, Godlistennamwel; Quang, Dangviet; Kim, Heetaik

2013-01-01

We studied the effects of various surfactants on the textural properties (BET surface area, pore size, and pore volume) of the silica aerogels prepared at an ambient pressure. A simple surface modification of silica gel prepared at an ambient pressure through hydrolysis and polycondensation of TEOS as asilica precursor was conducted using various structure directing agents. The treatment was found to induce a significant difference in the porosity of the silica aerogel. Highly porous silica aerogels with bimodal porous structures were prepared by modifying the surface of the silica wet-gel (alcogel) with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) in order to preserve its porosity. The samples were analyzed by small-angle X-ray scattering and nitrogen adsorption. In this work, a possible new type of highly porous hydrophobic silica aerogel with a bimodal porous structure is presented. A hydrophilic extremely porous (high surface area and large pore volume) silica aerogel was obtained by heating the as-synthesized hydrophobic silica aerogel at 400°C for 1 h. There was a significant effect of structure directing agent on the textural properties, such as specific surface area, pore size distribution and cumulative pore volume of the silicaaerogels. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerogel / Polymer Composite Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Roberson, Luke B. (Inventor); Clayton, LaNetra M. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The invention provides new composite materials containing aerogels blended with thermoplastic polymer materials at a weight ratio of aerogel to thermoplastic polymer of less than 20:100. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability. The composite materials also have better flexibility and less brittleness at low temperatures than the parent thermoplastic polymer materials.

The monolithic carbon aerogels and aerogel composites for electronics and thermal protection applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Sheng; Guo, Hui; Zhou, Yugui; Liu, Yuanyuan; Jin, Zhaoguo; Liu, Bin; Zhao, Yingmin

2017-09-01

Monolithic carbon aerogels have been prepared by condensation polymerization and high temperature pyrolysis. The morphology of carbon aerogels are characterized by SEM. The pore structure is characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption technique. Monolithic carbon aerogels are mesoporous nanomaterials. Carbon fiber reinforced carbon aerogel composites are prepared by in-situ sol-gel process. Fiber reinforced carbon aerogel composites are of high mechanical strength. The thermal response of the fiber reinforced aerogel composite samples are tested in an arc plasma wind tunnel. Carbon aerogel composites show good thermal insulation capability and high temperature resistance in inert atmosphere even at ultrahigh temperature up to 1800 °C. The results show that they are suitable for applications in electrodes for supercapacitors/ Lithium-ion batteries and aerospace thermal protection area.

Aerogel nanocomposite materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, A.J.; Ayers, M.; Cao, W. [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, CA (United States)] [and others

1995-05-01

Aerogels are porous, low density, nanostructured solids with many unusual properties including very low thermal conductivity, good transparency, high surface area, catalytic activity, and low sound velocity. This research is directed toward developing new nanocomposite aerogel materials for improved thermal insulation and several other applications. A major focus of the research has been to further increase the thermal resistance of silica aerogel by introducing infrared opacification agents into the aerogel to produce a superinsulating composite material. Opacified superinsulating aerogel permit a number of industrial applications for aerogel-based insulation. The primary benefits from this recently developed superinsulating composite aerogel insulation are: to extend the range of applications to higher temperatures, to provide a more compact insulation for space sensitive-applications, and to lower costs of aerogel by as much as 30%. Superinsulating aerogels can replace existing CFC-containing polyurethane in low temperature applications to reduce heat losses in piping, improve the thermal efficiency of refrigeration systems, and reduce energy losses in a variety of industrial applications. Enhanced aerogel insulation can also replace steam and process pipe insulation in higher temperature applications to substantially reduce energy losses and provide much more compact insulation.

Sol-gel derived flexible silica aerogel as selective adsorbent for water decontamination from crude oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Abolghasemi Mahani, A; Motahari, S; Mohebbi, A

2018-04-01

Oil spills are the most important threat to the sea ecosystem. The present study is an attempt to investigate the effects of sol-gel parameters on seawater decontamination from crude oil by use of flexible silica aerogel. To this goal, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) based silica aerogels were prepared by two-step acid-base catalyzed sol-gel process, involving ambient pressure drying (APD) method. To investigate the effects of sol-gel parameters, the aerogels were prepared under two different acidic and basic pH values (i.e. 4 and 8) and varied ethanol/MTMS molar ratios from 5 to 15. The adsorption capacity of the prepared aerogels was evaluated for two heavy and light commercial crude oils under multiple adsorption-desorption cycles. To reduce process time, desorption cycles were carried out by using roll milling for the first time. At optimum condition, silica aerogels are able to uptake heavy and light crude oils with the order of 16.7 and 13.7, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photocatalytic performance of highly amorphous titania–silica aerogels with mesopores: The adverse effect of the in situ adsorption of some organic substrates during photodegradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lázár, István [Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1 H-4032 (Hungary); Kalmár, József, E-mail: kalmar.jozsef@science.unideb.hu [MTA-DE Homogeneous Catalysis and Reaction Mechanisms Research Group, Egyetem tér 1 H-4032 (Hungary); Peter, Anca [Department of Chemistry and Biology, Technical University of Cluj Napoca, North University Center of Baia Mare, Baia Mare, Victoriei 76, 430122 (Romania); Szilágyi, Anett; Győri, Enikő; Ditrói, Tamás; Fábián, István [Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1 H-4032 (Hungary)

2015-11-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Details on the preparation of titania–silica aerogels with no crystalline anatase phase. • Investigation of the structure and the photocatalytic activity of highly amorphous titania–silica aerogels with mesopores. • The fast adsorption of methylene blue and salicylic acid reduces the rates of their photocatalytic degradations. • An elaborate kinetic model which incorporates both adsorption and photocatalysis. - Abstract: Titania–silica composite aerogels with 16–29% Ti-content by the mass were synthesized by the sol–gel method from different Ti-precursors, and calcined at 500 °C. These aerogels are highly amorphous as no crystalline TiO{sub 2} phase can be detected in them by X-ray diffraction methods, and show the dominating presence of either mesopores or macropores. The incorporation of Ti into the silica structure is shown by the appearance of characteristic IR transitions of Si−O−Ti vibrations. The characteristic band-gap energies of the different aerogels are estimated to be between 3.6 and 3.9 eV from UV reflection spectra. Band-gap energy decreases with decreasing pore-size. When suspended in solution, even these highly amorphous aerogels accelerate the photodegradation of salicylic acid and methylene blue compared to simple photolysis. Kinetic experiments were conducted under illumination, and also in the dark to study the adsorption of the substrates onto the suspended aerogels. We assume that the fast in situ adsorption of the organic substrates mask the suspended aerogel particles from UV photons, which reduces the rate of photocatalysis. We managed to mathematically separate the parallel processes of photocatalysis and adsorption, and develop a simple kinetic model to describe the reaction system.

Evacuated aerogel glazings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Jørgen Munthe; Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev

2008-01-01

This paper describes the main characteristics of monolithic silica aerogel and its application in evacuated superinsulating aerogel glazing including the evacuation and assembling process. Furthermore, the energetic benefit of aerogel glazing is quantified. In evacuated aerogel glazing the space ......) combined with a solar energy transmittance above 0.75.......This paper describes the main characteristics of monolithic silica aerogel and its application in evacuated superinsulating aerogel glazing including the evacuation and assembling process. Furthermore, the energetic benefit of aerogel glazing is quantified. In evacuated aerogel glazing the space...... between the glass panes is filled with monolithic silica aerogel evacuated to a rough vacuum of approximately 1-10 hPa. The aerogel glazing does not depend on use of low emissive coatings that have the drawback of absorbing a relatively large part of the solar radiation that otherwise could reduce...

Studies of mobile dust in scrape-off layer plasmas using silica aerogel collectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergsaker, H., E-mail: henricb@kth.se [Division of Space and Plasma Physics, Association EURATOM-VR, School of Electrical Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Ratynskaia, S. [Division of Space and Plasma Physics, Association EURATOM-VR, School of Electrical Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Litnovsky, A. [Institut fur Energieforschung - Plasmaphysik, Forschungszentrum Julich, Trilateral Euregio Cluster, Association EURATOM-FZ Julich, D-52425 Julich (Germany); Ogata, D. [Division of Space and Plasma Physics, Association EURATOM-VR, School of Electrical Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Sahle, W. [Functional Materials Division, KTH-Electrum 229, Isafjordsgatan 22, SE-16440 Stockholm (Sweden)

2011-08-01

Dust capture with ultralow density silica aerogel collectors is a new method, which allows time resolved in situ capture of dust particles in the scrape-off layers of fusion devices, without substantially damaging the particles. Particle composition and morphology, particle flux densities and particle velocity distributions can be determined through appropriate analysis of the aerogel surfaces after exposure. The method has been applied in comparative studies of intrinsic dust in the TEXTOR tokamak and in the Extrap T2R reversed field pinch. The analysis methods have been mainly optical microscopy and SEM. The method is shown to be applicable in both devices and the results are tentatively compared between the two plasma devices, which are very different in terms of edge plasma conditions, time scale, geometry and wall materials.

Synthesis, Processing, and Characterization of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Cross-Linked Silica, Organic Polyimide, and Inorganic Aluminosilicate Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Baochau N.; Guo, Haiquan N.; McCorkle, Linda S.

2014-01-01

As aerospace applications become ever more demanding, novel insulation materials with lower thermal conductivity, lighter weight and higher use temperature are required to fit the aerospace application needs. Having nanopores and high porosity, aerogels are superior thermal insulators, among other things. The use of silica aerogels in general is quite restricted due to their inherent fragility, hygroscopic nature, and poor mechanical properties, especially in extereme aerospace environments. Our research goal is to develop aerogels with better mechanical and environmental stability for a variety of aeronautic and space applications including space suit insulation for planetary surface missions, insulation for inflatable structures for habitats, inflatable aerodynamic decelerators for entry, descent and landing (EDL) operations, and cryotank insulation for advance space propulsion systems. Different type of aerogels including organic-inorganic polymer reinforced (hybrid) silica-based aerogels, polyimide aerogels and inorganic aluminosilicate aerogels have been developed and examined.

Noble Metal Immersion Spectroscopy of Silica Alcogels and Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David D.; Sibille, Laurent; Cronise, Raymond J.; Noever, David A.

1998-01-01

We have fabricated aerogels containing gold and silver nanoparticles for gas catalysis applications. By applying the concept of an average or effective dielectric constant to the heterogeneous interlayer surrounding each particle, we extend the technique of immersion spectroscopy to porous or heterogeneous media. Specifically, we apply the predominant effective medium theories for the determination of the average fractional composition of each component in this inhomogeneous layer. Hence, the surface area of metal available for catalytic gas reaction is determined. The technique is satisfactory for statistically random metal particle distributions but needs further modification for aggregated or surfactant modified systems. Additionally, the kinetics suggest that collective particle interactions in coagulated clusters are perturbed during silica gelation resulting in a change in the aggregate geometry.

Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Novolac-Silica Hybrid Aerogels Prepared by Sol-Gel Polymerization in Solvent-Saturated Vapor Atmosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Mehdi Seraji1, Seraji

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Nowadays organic–inorganic hybrid aerogel materials have attracted increasing interests due to improved thermal and mechanical properties. In the present research, initially, novolac type phenolic resin-silica hybrid gels with different solid concentrations were synthesized using sol-gel polymerization in solvent-saturatedvapor atmosphere. The hybrid gels were dried at air atmosphere through ambient drying process. This method removed the need for costly and risky supercritical drying process. The yields of the obtained hybrid aerogels increased with less shrinkage in comparison with conventional sol-gel process. The precursor of silica phase in this study was tetraethoxysilane and inexpensive novolac resin was used as a reinforcing phase. The results of FTIR analysis confirmed the simultaneous formation of silica and novolac gels in the hybrid systems. The resultant hybrid aerogels showed a nanostructure hybrid network with high porosity (above 80% and low density (below 0.25 g/cm3. Nonetheless, higher content of silica resulted in more shrinkage in the hybrid aerogel structure due to the tendency of the silica network to shrink more during gelation and drying process. The SEM images of samples exhibited a continuous network of interconnected colloidal particles formed during sol-gel polymerization with mean particle size of less than 100 nanometers. Si mapping analysis showed good distribution of silica phase throughout the hybrid structure. The results demonstrated improvements in insulation properties and thermal stability of novolac-silica aerogel with increasing the silica content. The results of compressive strength showed that the mechanical properties of samples declined with increasing the silica content.

X-ray radiographic technique for measuring density uniformity of silica aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabata, Makoto; Hatakeyama, Yoshikiyo; Adachi, Ichiro; Morita, Takeshi; Nishikawa, Keiko

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a new X-ray radiographic technique for measuring density uniformity of silica aerogels used as radiator in proximity-focusing ring-imaging Cherenkov detectors. To obtain high performance in a large-area detector, a key characteristic of radiator is the density (i.e. refractive index) uniformity of an individual aerogel monolith. At a refractive index of n=1.05, our requirement for the refractive index uniformity in the transverse plane direction of an aerogel tile is |δ(n−1)/(n−1)|<4% in a focusing dual layer radiator (with different refractive indices) scheme. We applied the radiographic technique to evaluate the density uniformity of our original aerogels from a trial production and that of Panasonic products (SP-50) as a reference, and to confirm they have sufficient density uniformity within ±1% along the transverse plane direction. The measurement results show that the proposed technique can quantitatively estimate the density uniformity of aerogels.

Modeling of phonon heat transfer in spherical segment of silica aerogel grains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Ya-Fen; Xia, Xin-Lin, E-mail: xiaxl@hit.edu.cn; Tan, He-Ping, E-mail: tanheping@hit.edu.cn; Liu, Hai-Dong

2013-07-01

Phonon heat transfer in spherical segment of nano silica aerogel grains is investigated by the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). For various sizes of grains, the temperature distribution and the thermal conductivity are obtained by the numerical simulation, in which the size effects of the gap surface are also considered. The results indicate that the temperature distribution in the silica aerogel grain depends strongly on the size. Both the decreases in the diameter of spherical segment and the ratio of the diameter of gap surface to the diameter of spherical segment reduce its effective thermal conductivity obviously. In addition, the phonon scattering at the boundary surfaces becomes more prominent when grain size decreases.

Modeling of phonon heat transfer in spherical segment of silica aerogel grains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Ya-Fen; Xia, Xin-Lin; Tan, He-Ping; Liu, Hai-Dong

2013-01-01

Phonon heat transfer in spherical segment of nano silica aerogel grains is investigated by the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). For various sizes of grains, the temperature distribution and the thermal conductivity are obtained by the numerical simulation, in which the size effects of the gap surface are also considered. The results indicate that the temperature distribution in the silica aerogel grain depends strongly on the size. Both the decreases in the diameter of spherical segment and the ratio of the diameter of gap surface to the diameter of spherical segment reduce its effective thermal conductivity obviously. In addition, the phonon scattering at the boundary surfaces becomes more prominent when grain size decreases

A Novel Environmental Route to Ambient Pressure Dried Thermal Insulating Silica Aerogel via Recycled Coal Gangue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pinghua Zhu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Coal gangue, one of the main hazardous emissions of purifying coal from coalmine industry, is rich in silica and alumina. However, the recycling of the waste is normally restricted by less efficient techniques and low attractive output; the utilization of such waste is still staying lower than 15%. In this work, the silica aerogel materials were synthesized by using a precursor extracted from recycled silicon-rich coal gangue, followed by a single-step surface silylation and ambient pressure drying. A low density (~0.19 g/cm3 nanostructured aerogel with a 3D open porous microstructure and high surface area (~690 m2/g was synthesized, which presents a superior thermal insulation performance (~26.5 mW·m−1·K−1 of a plane packed of 4-5 mm granules which was confirmed by transient hot-wire method. This study offers a new facile route to the synthesis of insulating aerogel material by recycling solid waste coal gangue and presents a potential cost reduction of industrial production of silica aerogels.

Low-temperature specific heat and thermal conductivity of silica aerogels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sleator, T.; Bernasconi, A.; Posselt, D.

1991-01-01

Specific-heat and thermal-conductivity measurements were made on a series of base-catalyzed silica aerogels at temperatures between 0.05 and 20 K. Evidence for a crossover between regimes of characteristically different excitations was observed. The data analysis indicates a "bump" in the density...

Preparation of silica aerogel for Cerenkov counters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poelz, G.; Riethmueller, R.

1981-09-01

Aerogel of silica was produced with an index of refraction of n = 1.024 to equip the TASSO Cerenkov detector with 1700 litres of this radiator medium. In the production process, which is described in detail, different parameters were varied to determine their influence on the shape and the optical quality of the aerogel samples. With the present equipment samples with a size of 17 x 17 x 2.3 cm 3 were manufactured at a rate of 144 pieces per week. A production efficiency of about 90% was obtained. The index of refraction for all samples around n = 1.024 is distributed with sigmasub(n) = 1.3 x 10 -3 . They have an optical transmission length of Λ = 2.64 cm at a wavelength lambda = 438 nm with sigmasub(Λ) = 0.22 cm. For samples with n = 1.017, Λ is found to be about 30% higher. (orig.) [de

Preliminary study of silica aerogel as a gas-equivalent material in ionization chambers

Science.gov (United States)

Caresana, M.; Zorloni, G.

2017-12-01

Since about two decades, a renewed interest on aerogels has risen. These peculiar materials show fairly unique properties. Thus, they are under investigation for both scientific and commercial purposes and new optimized production processes are studied. In this work, the possibility of using aerogel in the field of radiation detection is explored. The idea is to substitute the gas filling in a ionization chamber with the aerogel. The material possesses a density about 100 times greater than ambient pressure air. Where as the open-pore structure should allow the charge carriers to move freely. Small hydrophobic silica aerogel samples were studied. A custom ionization chamber, capable of working both with aerogel or in the classic gas set up, was built. The response of the chamber in current mode was investigated using an X-ray tube. The results obtained showed, under proper conditions, an enhancement of about 60 times of the current signal in the aerogel configuration with respect to the classic gas one. Moreover, some unusual behaviours were observed, i.e. time inertia of the signal and super-/sub-linear current response with respect to the dose rate. While testing high electric fields, aerogel configuration seemed to enhance the Townsend's effects. In order to represent the observed trends, a trapping-detrapping model is proposed, which is capable to predict semi-empirically the steady state currents measured. The time evolution of the signal is semi-quantitatively represented by the same model. The coefficients estimated by the fits are in agreement with similar trapping problems in the literature. In particular, a direct comparison between the benchmark of the FET silica gates and aerogel case endorses the idea that the same type of phenomenon occurs in the studied case.

Hydrophobic and low density silica aerogels dried at ambient pressure using TEOS precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurav, Jyoti L.; Rao, A. Venkateswara; Bangi, Uzma K.H.

2009-01-01

In the conventional ambient pressure drying of silica aerogels, tedious repetitive gel washing and solvent exchange steps (∼6 days) are involved. Therefore, in the present studies, we intended to reduce the processing time of TEOS based ambient pressure dried silica aerogels. Solvents such as methanol, hexane and Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ) as surface chemical modification agents have been used. To get good quality aerogels in terms of low density, high porosity, high contact angle and low volume shrinkage in less processing time, we varied MeOH/TEOS, HMDZ/TEOS molar ratios, oxalic acid (A) and NH 4 OH (B) concentrations and stirring time from 1 to 27.7, 0.34 to 2.1, 0 to 0.1 M, 0 to 2 M and 15 to 90 min respectively. The transparent and low-density aerogels were obtained for TEOS:MeOH:acidic H 2 O:basic H 2 O:HMDZ molar ratio of 1:16.5:0.81:0.50:0.681 respectively. The thermal stability and hydrophobicity have been confirmed with Thermogravimetric and Differential Thermal (TG-DT) analyses and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Microstructural study was carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Flexible aerogel composite for mechanical stability and process of fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coronado, P.R.; Poco, J.F.

1999-10-26

A flexible aerogel and process of fabrication are disclosed. An aerogel solution is mixed with fibers in a mold and allowed to gel. The gel is then processed by supercritical extraction, or by air drying, to produce a flexible aerogel formed to the shape of the mold. The flexible aerogel has excellent thermal and acoustic properties, and can be utilized in numerous applications, such as for energy absorption, insulation (temperature and acoustic), to meet the contours of aircraft shapes, and where space is limited since an inch of aerogel is a 4--5 times better insulator than an inch of fiberglass. The flexible aerogel may be of an inorganic (silica) type or an organic (carbon) type, but containing fibers, such as glass or carbon fibers.

Flexible aerogel composite for mechanical stability and process of fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Coronado, Paul R.; Poco, John F.

1999-01-01

A flexible aerogel and process of fabrication. An aerogel solution is mixed with fibers in a mold and allowed to gel. The gel is then processed by supercritical extraction, or by air drying, to produce a flexible aerogel formed to the shape of the mold. The flexible aerogel has excellent thermal and acoustic properties, and can be utilized in numerous applications, such as for energy absorption, insulation (temperature and acoustic), to meet the contours of aircraft shapes, and where space is limited since an inch of aerogel is a 4-5 times better insulator than an inch of fiberglass. The flexible aerogel may be of an inorganic (silica) type or an organic (carbon) type, but containing fibers, such as glass or carbon fibers.

Flexible aerogel composite for mechanical stability and process of fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coronado, P.R.; Poco, J.F.

2000-07-11

A flexible aerogel and process of fabrication are disclosed. An aerogel solution is mixed with fibers in a mold and allowed to gel. The gel is then processed by supercritical extraction, or by air drying, to produce a flexible aerogel formed to the shape of the mold. The flexible aerogel has excellent thermal and acoustic properties, and can be utilized in numerous applications, such as for energy absorption, insulation (temperature and acoustic), to meet the contours of aircraft shapes, and where space is limited since an inch of aerogel is a 4--5 times better insulator than an inch of fiberglass. The flexible aerogel may be of an inorganic (silica) type or an organic (carbon) type, but containing fibers, such as glass or carbon fibers.

An environmentally benign route for the development of compressible, thermally insulating and fire retardant aerogels through self-assembling the silk fibroin biopolymer inside the silica structure - An approach towards 3D printing of aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Maleki, Hajar; Montes, Susan; Hayati-Roodbari, Nastaran; Putz, Florian; Huesing, Nicola

2018-06-04

Thanks to the exceptional materials properties of silica aerogels, this fascinating highly porous material has found high performance and real-life applications in various modern industries. However, a requirement for a broadening of these applications is based on the further improvement of their properties especially with regard to mechanical strength and post-synthesis processability with minimum compromise to the other physical properties. Here, we report an entirely novel, simple and aqueous based synthesis approach to prepare mechanically robust aerogel hybrids by co-gelation of silk fibroin (SF) biopolymer, extracted from silkworm cocoons. The synthesis is based on a one-step sequential processes of acid catalysis (physical) crosslinking of the SF biopolymer and simultaneous polycondensation of tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS), in the presence of 5-(trimethoxysilyl)pentanoic acid (TMSPA) as a coupling agent and subsequent solvent exchange and supercritical drying. Extensive characterizations by solid-state 1H-NMR, 29Si-NMR, and 2D 1H-29Si heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) MAS NMR spectroscopy as well as various microscopic techniques (SEM, TEM) and mechanical assessment, confirmed the molecular-level homogeneity of the hybrid nanostructure. The developed silica-SF aerogel hybrids contained an improved set of material properties, such as low density (ρb, average = 0.11 - 0.2 g cm-3), high porosity (~90%), high specific surface area (~ 400-800 m2 g-1), excellent flexibility in compression (up to 80% of strain) with three-order of magnitude improvement in the Young's modulus over that of pristine silica aerogels. In addition, the silica-SF hybrid aerogels are fire retardant and demonstrated excellent thermal insulation performance with thermal conductivities (λ) of (0.033-0.039 Wm-1 K-1). As a further advantage, the formulated hybrid silica-SF aerogel showed an excellent printability in the wet state using a micro-extrusion based 3D printing approach. The

A new route for preparation of sodium-silicate-based hydrophobic silica aerogels via ambient-pressure drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bangi, Uzma K H; Rao, A Venkateswara; Rao, A Parvathy

2008-01-01

An in-depth investigation into the synthesis of hydrophobic silica aerogels prepared by the surface derivatization of wet gels followed by subsequent drying at ambient pressure is reported. The following sol-gel parameters were examined for their effect on the physical properties of the derived aerogels: number of gel washings with water, percentage of hexane or methanol in silylating mixture, molar ratio of tartaric acid: Na 2 SiO 3 , gel aging period, weight% of silica, trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) percentage, and silylation period. These parameters were varied from 1 to 4, 0 to 100%, 0.27 to 1.2, 0 to 4 h, 1.5 to 8 wt.%, 20 to 40% and 6 to 24 h, respectively. The properties of hydrophobic silica aerogels synthesized by this new route were investigated in terms of bulk density, percentage volume shrinkage, percentage porosity, thermal conductivity and contact angle with water, and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The as-prepared hydrophobic silica aerogels exhibited high temperature stability (up to approximately 435 0 C) as measured by thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA). The optimal sol-gel parameters were found to be a molar ratio of Na 2 SiO 3 :H 2 O : tartaric acid : TMCS of 1 : 146.67 : 0.86 : 9.46, an aging period of 3 h, four washings with water in 24 h and the use of a 50% hexane- or methanol-based silylating mixture. Aerogels prepared with these optimal parameters were found to exhibit 50% optical transparency in the visible range, 84 kg m -3 density, 0.090 W mK -1 thermal conductivity, 95% porosity and a contact angle of 146 0 with water

Aerogels: transparent and super-insulating materials; Les aerogels: isolants transparent-super isolants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melka, S.; Rigacci, A.; Achard, P.; Bezian, J.J. [Ecole des Mines de Paris, 06 - Sophia-Antipolis (France); Sallee, H.; Chevalier, B. [Centre des Sciences et Techniques du Batiment, 38 - Saint-Martin-d`Heres (France)

1996-12-31

Recent studies have demonstrated the super-insulating properties of silica aerogel in its monolithic or finely divided state. In its monolithic state, this material conciliates excellent thermal insulation performances, a good transmission of visible light and interesting acoustic properties. Also its amazing structural characteristics (lightness, high global porosity, small diameter of pores) are particularly interesting for its use in double glazing windows as transparent insulating spacer. The aim of the work carried out by the Energetic Centre of the Ecole des Mines of Paris is to understand the thermal transfer phenomena in all forms of silica aerogel. In this paper, the main steps of the synthesis process of monolithic silica aerogel is presented with the thermal conductivities obtained. Then, a model is built to describe the thermal transfer mechanisms in finely divided aerogel beds. Finally, the hot wire thermal characterization method is presented and the results obtained on silica aerogels are discussed. (J.S.) 16 refs.

The LHCb RICH silica aerogel performance with LHC data

CERN Multimedia

Perego, D L

2010-01-01

In the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider, powerful charged particle identification is performed by Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) technology. In order to cover the full geometric acceptance and the wide momentum range (1-100 GeV/c), two detectors with three Cherenkov radiators have been designed and installed. In the medium (10-40 GeV/c) and high (30-100 GeV/c) momentum range, gas radiators are used (C4F10 and CF4 respectively). In the low momentum range (1 to a few GeV/c) pion/kaon/proton separation will be done with photons produced in solid silica aerogel. A set of 16 tiles, with the large transverse dimensions ever (20x20 cm$^2$) and nominal refractive index 1.03 have been produced. The tiles have excellent optical properties and homogeneity of refractive index within the tile of ~1%. The first data collected at LHC are used to understand the behaviour of the RICH: preliminary results will be presented and discussed on the performance of silica aerogel and of the gas radiators C4F10 and CF4.

Polyimide-Foam/Aerogel Composites for Thermal Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha; Fesmire, James; Sass, Jared; Smith, Trent; Weoser. Erol

2009-01-01

Composites of specific types of polymer foams and aerogel particles or blankets have been proposed to obtain thermal insulation performance superior to those of the neat polyimide foams. These composites have potential to also provide enhanced properties for vibration dampening or acoustic attenuation. The specific type of polymer foam is denoted "TEEK-H", signifying a series, denoted H, within a family of polyimide foams that were developed at NASA s Langley Research Center and are collectively denoted TEEK (an acronym of the inventors names). The specific types of aerogels include Nanogel aerogel particles from Cabot Corporation in Billerica, MA. and of Spaceloft aerogel blanket from Aspen Aerogels in Northborough, MA. The composites are inherently flame-retardant and exceptionally thermally stable. There are numerous potential uses for these composites, at temperatures from cryogenic to high temperatures, in diverse applications that include aerospace vehicles, aircraft, ocean vessels, buildings, and industrial process equipment. Some low-temperature applications, for example, include cryogenic storage and transfer or the transport of foods, medicines, and chemicals. Because of thermal cycling, aging, and weathering most polymer foams do not perform well at cryogenic temperatures and will undergo further cracking over time. The TEEK polyimides are among the few exceptions to this pattern, and the proposed composites are intended to have all the desirable properties of TEEK-H foams, plus improved thermal performance along with enhanced vibration or acoustic-attenuation performance. A composite panel as proposed would be fabricated by adding an appropriate amount of TEEK friable balloons into a mold to form a bottom layer. A piece of flexible aerogel blanket material, cut to the desired size and shape, would then be placed on the bottom TEEK layer and sandwiched between another top layer of polyimide friable balloons so that the aerogel blanket would become

Preparation and Characterization of Highly Spherical Silica-titania Aerogel Beads with High Surface Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YU Yu-xi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The silica-titania aerogel beads were synthesized through sol-gel reaction followed by supercritical drying, in which TEOS and TBT as co-precursors, EtOH as solvents, HAC and NH3·H2O as catalysts. The as-prepared aerogel beads were characterized by SEM,TEM,XRD,FT-IR,TG-DTA and nitrogen adsorption-desorption. The results indicate that the diameter distribution of beads are between 1-8mm, the average diameter of beads is 3.5mm. The aerogel beads have nanoporous network structure with high specific surface area of 914.5m2/g, and the TiO2 particles are distributed in the aerogel uniformly, which keep the anatase crystal under high temperature.

Fabrication and characterization of Aerogel-Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) Insulation Film

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Yeoung ah; Song, Sinae; Taik Kim, Hee

2018-03-01

The building has a large impact on the space heating demand and the indoor environment is affected by climate or daylight. Hence, silica aerogel has generally used as a film to reduce the coefficient of the window in the building. Silica aerogel is a suitable material to apply for insulation material with lower thermal conductivity than that of air to save interior energy. However expensive precursor and drying process were the main issue of the silica aerogel synthesis and practical usage. We attempt to fabricate aerogel insulation film for energy saving through the economic process under ambient pressure. Silica aerogel was synthesized from rice husk ash, which was an agricultural waste to be able to recycle. Taguchi design was used to optimize the parameters (amount of rice husk ash, pH, aging time) controlling the surface area of silica aerogel. The silica aerogel is prepared by sol-gel processing through acidic treatment and aging. The silica aerogel was obtained by modification of silica hydrogel surface and dry at ambient pressure. Finally, aerogel film was respectively fabricated by the different content of aerogel in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Silica aerogel obtained 21 – 24nm average particle size was analyzed by SEM and silica aerogel with high surface area (832.26 m2/g), pore size ( 3.30nm ) was characterized by BET. Then silica Aerogel – PDMS insulation film with thermal conductivity (0.002 W/mK) was analyzed by thermal wave system. The study demonstrates an eco-friendly and low-cost route toward silica – PDMS insulation film with low thermal conductivity (0.002 W/mK).

Aerogels Handbook

CERN Document Server

Aegerter, Michel A; Koebel, Matthias M

2011-01-01

Aerogels are the lightest solids known. Up to 1000 times lighter than glass and with a density as low as only four times that of air, they show very high thermal, electrical and acoustic insulation values and hold many entries in Guinness World Records. Originally based on silica, R&D efforts have extended this class of materials to non-silicate inorganic oxides, natural and synthetic organic polymers, carbon, metal and ceramic materials, etc. Composite systems involving polymer-crosslinked aerogels and interpenetrating hybrid networks have been developed and exhibit remarkable mechanical strength and flexibility. Even more exotic aerogels based on clays, chalcogenides, phosphides, quantum dots, and biopolymers such as chitosan are opening new applications for the construction, transportation, energy, defense and healthcare industries. Applications in electronics, chemistry, mechanics, engineering, energy production and storage, sensors, medicine, nanotechnology, military and aerospace, oil and gas recove...

Dynamic properties of silica aerogels as deduced from specific-heat and thermal-conductivity measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernasconi, A.; Sleator, T.; Posselt, D.

1992-01-01

The specific heat C(p) and the thermal conductivity lambda of a series of base-catalyzed silica aerogels have been measured at temperatures between 0.05 and 20 K. The results confirm that the different length-scale regions observed in the aerogel structure are reflected in the dynamic behavior of...... SiO2 are most likely not due to fractal behavior....... the possibility of two spectral dimensions characterizing the fracton modes. Our data imply important differences between the physical mechanisms dominating the low-temperature behavior of aerogels and dense glasses, respectively. From our analysis we also conclude that the low-temperature properties of amorphous...

Fibrous-Ceramic/Aerogel Composite Insulating Tiles

Science.gov (United States)

White, Susan M.; Rasky, Daniel J.

2004-01-01

Fibrous-ceramic/aerogel composite tiles have been invented to afford combinations of thermal-insulation and mechanical properties superior to those attainable by making tiles of fibrous ceramics alone or aerogels alone. These lightweight tiles can be tailored to a variety of applications that range from insulating cryogenic tanks to protecting spacecraft against re-entry heating. The advantages and disadvantages of fibrous ceramics and aerogels can be summarized as follows: Tiles made of ceramic fibers are known for mechanical strength, toughness, and machinability. Fibrous ceramic tiles are highly effective as thermal insulators in a vacuum. However, undesirably, the porosity of these materials makes them permeable by gases, so that in the presence of air or other gases, convection and gas-phase conduction contribute to the effective thermal conductivity of the tiles. Other disadvantages of the porosity and permeability of fibrous ceramic tiles arise because gases (e.g., water vapor or cryogenic gases) can condense in pores. This condensation contributes to weight, and in the case of cryogenic systems, the heat of condensation undesirably adds to the heat flowing to the objects that one seeks to keep cold. Moreover, there is a risk of explosion associated with vaporization of previously condensed gas upon reheating. Aerogels offer low permeability, low density, and low thermal conductivity, but are mechanically fragile. The basic idea of the present invention is to exploit the best features of fibrous ceramic tiles and aerogels. In a composite tile according to the invention, the fibrous ceramic serves as a matrix that mechanically supports the aerogel, while the aerogel serves as a low-conductivity, low-permeability filling that closes what would otherwise be the open pores of the fibrous ceramic. Because the aerogel eliminates or at least suppresses permeation by gas, gas-phase conduction, and convection, the thermal conductivity of such a composite even at

Particle detection and identification through Cerenkov effect in silica aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engelmann, J.J.; Cantin, M.

1978-01-01

Cerenkov counters are largely used in high energy physics and in nuclear astrophysics to identify the charge of high energy particles and to measure their velocity. Good velocity resolution is obtained only near the Cerenkov threshold, which is directly dependent on the refractive index of the radiator. It is therefore very important to dispose of materials of various refractive indices. The silica aerogel allows to cover a range of indices between 1.015 and 1.2 which is intermediate between the indices given by gas and liquids. The samples most often built until now are hexagonal blocks of 1.06 refractive index and 0.24 g/cm 3 density. Blocks of one liter in volume have been assembled to form a mosaic of large dimension. For lower refractive indices, 1.015 for instance, the material becomes too brittle. So we have been led to use an aerogel sand made of aerogel grains of controlled granulometry. Radiators of both types blocks and sand are used in the franco-danish experiment to be launched aboard the NASA satellite HEAO-C in July 1979 [fr

Aerogels in Aerospace: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadiir Bheekhun

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aerogels are highly porous structures prepared via a sol-gel process and supercritical drying technology. Among the classes of aerogels, silica aerogel exhibits the most remarkable physical properties, possessing lower density, thermal conductivity, refractive index, and dielectric constant than any solids. Its acoustical property is such that it can absorb the sound waves reducing speed to 100 m/s compared to 332 m/s for air. However, when it comes to commercialization, the result is not as expected. It seems that mass production, particularly in the aerospace industry, has dawdled behind. This paper highlights the evolution of aerogels in general and discusses the functions and significances of silica aerogel in previous astronautical applications. Future outer-space applications have been proposed as per the current research trend. Finally, the implementation of conventional silica aerogel in aeronautics is argued with an alternative known as Maerogel.

Thermal Failure Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Silica Aerogels under Liquid Nitrogen Thermal Shock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ai Du

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Aerogel materials are recognized as promising candidates for the thermal insulator and have achieved great successes for the aerospace applications. However, the harsh environment on the exoplanet, especially for the tremendous temperature difference, tends to affect the tenuous skeleton and performances of the aerogels. In this paper, an evaluation method was proposed to simulate the environment of exoplanet and study the influence on the fiber-reinforced silica aerogels with different supercritical point drying (SPD technology. Thermal conductivity, mechanical property and the microstructure were characterized for understanding the thermal failure mechanism. It was found that structure and thermal property were significantly influenced by the adsorbed water in the aerogels under the thermal shocks. The thermal conductivity of CO2-SPD aerogel increased 35.5% after the first shock and kept in a high value, while that of the ethanol-SPD aerogel increased only 19.5% and kept in a relatively low value. Pore size distribution results showed that after the first shock the peak pore size of the CO2-SPD aerogel increased from 18 nm to 25 nm due to the shrinkage of the skeleton, while the peak pore size of the ethanol-SPD aerogel kept at ~9 nm probably induced by the spring-back effect. An 80 °C treatment under vacuum was demonstrated to be an effective way for retaining the good performance of ethanol-SPD aerogels under the thermal shock. The thermal conductivity increases of the ethanol-SPD aerogels after 5 shocks decreased from ~30 to ~0% via vacuum drying, while the increase of the CO2-SPD aerogels via the same treatments remains ~28%. The high-strain hardening and low-strain soften behaviors further demonstrated the skeleton shrinkage of the CO2-SPD aerogel.

Novel retrofit technologies incorporating silica aerogel for lower energy buildings

OpenAIRE

Dowson, Mark

2012-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Engineering and was awarded by Brunel University. The aim of this Engineering Doctorate is to design, build and test novel environmental retrofit technologies to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings. Three contributions to knowledge are documented. The first contribution is the technical verification of a novel proof-of-principle prototype incorporating translucent silica aerogel granules to improve the thermal performance of...

Mechanical Properties and Brittle Behavior of Silica Aerogels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thierry Woignier

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sets of silica gels: aerogels, xerogels and sintered aerogels, have been studied in the objective to understand the mechanical behavior of these highly porous solids. The mechanical behaviour of gels is described in terms of elastic and brittle materials, like glasses or ceramics. The magnitude of the elastic and rupture modulus is several orders of magnitude lower compared to dense glass. The mechanical behaviours (elastic and brittle are related to the same kinds of gel characteristics: pore volume, silanol content and pore size. Elastic modulus depends strongly on the volume fraction of pores and on the condensation reaction between silanols. Concerning the brittleness features: rupture modulus and toughness, it is shown that pores size plays an important role. Pores can be considered as flaws in the terms of fracture mechanics and the flaw size is related to the pore size. Weibull’s theory is used to show the statistical nature of flaw. Moreover, stress corrosion behaviour is studied as a function of environmental conditions (water and alcoholic atmosphere and temperature.

Selective epoxidation of allylic alcohols with a titania-silica aerogel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dusi, M.; Mallat, T.; Baiker, A. [Lab. of Technical Chemistry, Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology, ETH-Zentrum, Zuerich (Switzerland)

1998-12-31

An amorphous mesoporous titania-silica aerogel (20 wt%TiO{sub 2} - 80 wt% SiO{sub 2}) and tert.-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) have been used for the epoxidation of various allylic alcohols. Allylic alcohols possessing an internal double bond were more reactive than those with a terminal C=C bond. Epoxide selectivities could be improved by addition of (basic) zeolite 4 A and NaHCO{sub 3} to the reaction mixture. (orig.)

Polyimide Cellulose Nanocrystal Composite Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Baochau N.; Meador, Mary Ann; Rowan, Stuart; Cudjoe, Elvis; Sandberg, Anna

2014-01-01

Polyimide (PI) aerogels are highly porous solids having low density, high porosity and low thermal conductivity with good mechanical properties. They are ideal for various applications including use in antenna and insulation such as inflatable decelerators used in entry, decent and landing operations. Recently, attention has been focused on stimuli responsive materials such as cellulose nano crystals (CNCs). CNCs are environmentally friendly, bio-renewable, commonly found in plants and the dermis of sea tunicates, and potentially low cost. This study is to examine the effects of CNC on the polyimide aerogels. The CNC used in this project are extracted from mantle of a sea creature called tunicates. A series of polyimide cellulose nanocrystal composite aerogels has been fabricated having 0-13 wt of CNC. Results will be discussed.

Aerogel and xerogel composites for use as carbon anodes

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, John F [Oakland, CA; Tillotson, Thomas M [Tracy, CA; Hrubesh, Lawrence W [Pleasanton, CA

2008-08-12

Disclosed herein are aerogel and xerogel composite materials suitable for use as anodes in fuel cells and batteries. Precursors to the aerogel and xerogel compounds are infused with inorganic polymeric materials or carbon particles and then gelled. The gels are then pyrolyzed to form composites with internal structural support.

Small-Sized Mg–Al LDH Nanosheets Supported on Silica Aerogel with Large Pore Channels: Textural Properties and Basic Catalytic Performance after Activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lijun Wang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Layered double hydroxides (LDHs have been widely used as an important subset of solid base catalysts. However, developing low-cost, small-sized LDH nanoparticles with enhanced surface catalytic sites remains a challenge. In this work, silica aerogel (SA-supported, small-sized Mg–Al LDH nanosheets were successfully prepared by one-pot coprecipitation of Mg and Al ions in an alkaline suspension of crushed silica aerogel. The supported LDH nanosheets were uniformly dispersed in the SA substrate with the smallest average radial diameter of 19.2 nm and the thinnest average thickness of 3.2 nm, both dimensions being significantly less than those of the vast majority of LDH nanoparticles reported. The SA/LDH composites also showed large pore volume (up to 1.3 cm3·g and pore diameter (>9 nm, and therefore allow efficient access of reactants to the edge catalytic sites of LDH nanosheets. In a base-catalyzed Henry reaction of benzaldehyde with nitromethane, the SA/LDH catalysts showed high reactant conversions and favorable stability in 6 successive cycles of reactions. The low cost of the SA carrier and LDH precursors, easy preparation method, and excellent catalytic properties make these SA/LDH composites a competitive example of solid-base catalysts.

SINTESIS SILIKA AEROGEL DENGAN BAHAN DASAR ABU BAGASSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nazriati Nazriati

2012-05-01

Full Text Available SYNTHESIS OF SILICA AEROGEL FROM BAGASSE ASH. Synthesis of silica aerogel from bagasse ash was done by alkaline extraction followed by sol-gel. Bagasse ash was extracted with NaOH at its boiling temperature for one hour with continue stirring, to produce sodium silicate. Subsequently, sodium silicate was pass through ionic exchanger resin, to produces silicic acid (SA. Silicic acid solution was then added with TMCS and HMDS as surface modifier agent. In order to form gel pH must be adjusted to final pH of 8-9 by addition of NH4OH solution. The resulting gel then was aged and dried at ambient pressure and at a certain time and temperature. Characterization of products was done by measuring its pore volume, surface area, and hydrophobisity (contact angle. TMCS serves as water expeller from the pores and subsequently surface was modified by HMDS and TMCS. HMDS content will linearly increase surface area, pore volume, and the contact angle of the resulting silica aerogel. Characteristics of silica aerogel was generated by varying the composition of the SA:TMCS:HMDS resulting has a surface area of 50-488 m2/g, pore volume from 0.2 to 0.9 m3 /g, the contact angle of 48-119 and pore diameter ranging from 5.7-22.56 nm. Based on the resulting pore diameter, the synthesized of silica aerogel categorized as mesoporous.      Abstrak   Sintesis silika aerogel dari bahan dasar abu bagasse dilakukan dengan ekstraksi basa dan diikuti dengan sol-gel. Abu bagasse diekstrak dengan NaOH pada suhu didihnya sambil diaduk selama satu jam, menghasilkan sodium silikat. Selanjutnya, sodium silikat dilewatkan resin penukar ion, menghasilkan asam silicic (SA. Larutan asam silicic kemudian ditambahkan trimethy­l­chlorosilane (TMCS dan hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS sebagai agen pemodifikasi permukaan. Untuk terjadinya gel pH diatur hingga mencapai 8-9 dengan penambahan larutan NH4OH. Gel yang dihasilkan kemudian di-aging dan dikeringkan pada tekanan ambien pada suhu dan

Selective removal mercury (Ⅱ) from aqueous solution using silica aerogel modified with 4-amino-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-thion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tadayon, Fariba; Saber-Tehrani, Mohammad; Motahar, Shiva [Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-03-15

Silica aerogel surface modifications with chelating agents for adsorption/removal of metal ions have been reported in recent years. This investigation reported the preparation of silica aerogel (SA) adsorbent coupled with metal chelating ligands of 4-amino-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-thion (AMTT) and its application for selective adsorption of Hg(Ⅱ) ion. The adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements, nitrogen physisorption and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Optimal experimental conditions including pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage and contact time have been established. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to analyze the experimental data. The best interpretation for the experimental data given by the Langmuir isotherm equation and the maximum adsorption capacity of the modified silica gel and silica aerogel was 142.85 and 17.24mgg⌃(-1), respectively. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG{sup o}), standard enthalpy (ΔH{sup o}) and entropy change (ΔS{sup o}) were investigated. The adsorbed Hg(Ⅱ) on the SA-AMTT adsorbents could be completely eluted by 1.0M KBr solution and recycled at least four times without the loss of adsorption capacity. The results of the present investigation illustrate that modified silica aerogel with AMTT could be used as an adsorbent for the effective removal of Hg(Ⅱ) ions from aqueous solution.

Silica aerogel radiator for use in the A-RICH system utilized in the Belle II experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabata, Makoto, E-mail: makoto@hepburn.s.chiba-u.ac.jp [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sagamihara (Japan); Department of Physics, Chiba University, Chiba (Japan); Adachi, Ichiro [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies (IPNS), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba (Japan); Hamada, Nao [Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi (Japan); Hara, Koji [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies (IPNS), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba (Japan); Iijima, Toru [Kobayashi–Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe, Nagoya University, Nagoya (Japan); Iwata, Shuichi; Kakuno, Hidekazu [Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji (Japan); Kawai, Hideyuki [Department of Physics, Chiba University, Chiba (Japan); Korpar, Samo [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Maribor (Slovenia); Experimental High Energy Physics Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Križan, Peter [Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Experimental High Energy Physics Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Kumita, Tetsuro [Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji (Japan); Nishida, Shohei [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies (IPNS), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba (Japan); Ogawa, Satoru [Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi (Japan); Pestotnik, Rok; Šantelj, Luka; Seljak, Andrej [Experimental High Energy Physics Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Sumiyoshi, Takayuki [Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji (Japan); and others

2014-12-01

This paper presents recent progress in the development and mass production of large-area hydrophobic silica aerogels for use as radiators in the aerogel-based ring-imaging Cherenkov (A-RICH) counter, which will be installed in the forward end cap of the Belle II detector. The proximity-focusing A-RICH system is especially designed to identify charged kaons and pions. The refractive index of the installed aerogel Cherenkov radiators is approximately 1.05, and we aim for a separation capability exceeding 4σ at momenta up to 4 GeV/c. Large-area aerogel tiles (over 18×18×2 cm{sup 3}) were first fabricated in test productions by pin drying in addition to conventional methods. We proposed to fill the large end-cap region (area 3.5 m{sup 2}) with 124 water-jet-trimmed fan-shaped dual-layer-focusing aerogel combinations of different refractive indices (1.045 and 1.055). Guided by the test production results, we decided to manufacture aerogels by the conventional method and are currently proceeding with mass production. In an electron beam test undertaken at the DESY, we confirmed that the K/π separation capability of a prototype A-RICH counter exceeded 4σ at 4 GeV/c. - Highlights: • Aerogel tiling as a RICH radiator in the end cap of Belle II detector is proposed. • Conventional method for producing real-size aerogels is established. • No crack-free, real-size aerogels attained in the test production by pin drying. • Beam test confirms the utility of real-size aerogels made by conventional method. • Mass aerogel production for an actual RICH system started by conventional method.

Silica aerogel radiator for use in the A-RICH system utilized in the Belle II experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Tabata, Makoto; Adachi, Ichiro; Hamada, Nao; Hara, Koji; Iijima, Toru; Iwata, Shuichi; Kakuno, Hidekazu; Kawai, Hideyuki; Korpar, Samo; Križan, Peter; Kumita, Tetsuro; Nishida, Shohei; Ogawa, Satoru; Pestotnik, Rok; Šantelj, Luka; Seljak, Andrej; Sumiyoshi, Takayuki; Tahirović, Elvedin; Yoshida, Keisuke; Yusa, Yosuke

2014-12-01

This paper presents recent progress in the development and mass production of large-area hydrophobic silica aerogels for use as radiators in the aerogel-based ring-imaging Cherenkov (A-RICH) counter, which will be installed in the forward end cap of the Belle II detector. The proximity-focusing A-RICH system is especially designed to identify charged kaons and pions. The refractive index of the installed aerogel Cherenkov radiators is approximately 1.05, and we aim for a separation capability exceeding 4σ at momenta up to 4 GeV/c. Large-area aerogel tiles (over 18×18×2 cm3) were first fabricated in test productions by pin drying in addition to conventional methods. We proposed to fill the large end-cap region (area 3.5 m2) with 124 water-jet-trimmed fan-shaped dual-layer-focusing aerogel combinations of different refractive indices (1.045 and 1.055). Guided by the test production results, we decided to manufacture aerogels by the conventional method and are currently proceeding with mass production. In an electron beam test undertaken at the DESY, we confirmed that the K/π separation capability of a prototype A-RICH counter exceeded 4σ at 4 GeV/c.

Fabrication and characterization of silica aerogel as synthetic tissues for medical imaging phantoms

Science.gov (United States)

In, Eunji; Naguib, Hani

2015-05-01

Medical imaging plays an important role in the field of healthcare industry both in clinical settings and in research and development. It is used in prevention, early detection of disease, in choosing the optimal treatment, during surgical interventions and monitoring of the treatment effects. Despite much advancement in the last few decades, rapid change on its technology development and variety of imaging parameters that differ with the manufacturer restrict its further development. Imaging phantom is a calibrating medium that is scanned or imaged in the field of medical imaging to evaluate, analyze and tune the performance of various imaging devices. A phantom used to evaluate an imaging device should respond in a similar manner to how human tissue and organs would act in that specific imaging modality. There has been many research on the phantom materials; however, there has been no attempt to study on the material that mimics the structure of lung or fibrous tissue. So with the need for development of gel with such structure, we tried to mimic this structure with aerogel. Silica aerogels have unique properties that include low density (0.003g/cm) and mesoporosity (pore size 2-50nm), with a high thermal insulation value (0.005W/mK) and high surface area (500-1200m-2/g).] In this study, we cross-linked with di-isocyanate, which is a group in polyurethane to covalently bond the polymer to the surface of silica aerogel to enhance the mechanical properties. By formation of covalent bonds, the structure can be reinforced by widening the interparticle necks while minimally reducing porosity.

Silica aerogel threshold Cherenkov counters for the JLab Hall A spectrometers: improvements and proposed modifications

CERN Document Server

Lagamba, L; Colilli, S; Crateri, R; De Leo, R; Frullani, S; Garibaldi, F; Giuliani, F; Gricia, M; Iodice, M; Iommi, R; Leone, A; Lucentini, M; Mostarda, A; Nappi, E; Perrino, R; Pierangeli, L; Santavenere, F; Urciuoli, G M

2001-01-01

Recently approved experiments at Jefferson Lab Hall A require a clean kaon identification in a large electron, pion, and proton background environment. To this end, improved performance is required of the silica aerogel threshold Cherenkov counters installed in the focal plane of the two Hall A spectrometers. In this paper we propose two strategies to improve the performance of the Cherenkov counters which presently use a hydrophilic aerogel radiator, and convey Cherenkov photons towards the photomultipliers by means of mirrors with a parabolic shape in one direction and flat in the other. The first strategy is aerogel baking. In the second strategy we propose a modification of the counter geometry by replacing the mirrors with a planar diffusing surface and by displacing in a different way the photomultipliers. Tests at CERN with a 5 GeV/c multiparticle beam revealed that both the strategies are able to increase significantly the number of the detected Cherenkov photons and, therefore, the detector performan...

Monolithic Silica aerogel in superinsulating glazings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duer, Karsten; Svendsen, Sv Aa Højgaard

1988-01-01

. This phenomenon is considered being the main obstacle to incorporate the material in clear glazings but a significant improvement of the optical quality of aerogel has been observed during the last five years. A number of prototypical evacuated 500x500x28 mm aerogel double glazed units employing a new edge seal...... competetion in heating dominated climates....

Dynamics of capillary condensation in aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Nomura, R; Miyashita, W; Yoneyama, K; Okuda, Y

2006-03-01

Dynamics of capillary condensation of liquid 4He in various density silica aerogels was investigated systematically. Interfaces were clearly visible when bulk liquid was rapidly sucked into the aerogel. Time evolution of the interface positions was consistent with the Washburn model and their effective pore radii were obtained. Condensation was a single step in a dense aerogel and two steps in a low density aerogel. Crossover between the two types of condensation was observed in an intermediate density aerogel. Variety of the dynamics may be the manifestation of the fractal nature of aerogels which had a wide range of distribution of pore radii.

Synthesis of nano-Au doped SiO2 aerogels by seeding method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Hongbo; Wan Xiaobo; Zhang Lin; Du Aiming; Xiu Peng

2006-01-01

A new approach to synthesize gold nano cluster doped aerogel on the basis of surface-catalyzed reduction of metal ions was described. Au nano particles were formed in a silica aerogel matrix by hydroxylamine seeding method of reducing gold ions on the silica colloidal surface. Subsequently, the pH value of system was adjusted to about 7-8, the gel formed within 2 h. After aging for 2 d, the gels were washed in aceton, and then dried supercritically (from CO 2 ) to yield aerogels. The reduction process was attributed to hydroxylamine-induced surface catalysis. Au clusters in the aerogel monoliths were characterized with optical adsorption, transmission electron microscopy. These techniques have shown the cluster size and weight content in the aerogels. Brunauer-emmett-teller surface area measurements show that the specific surface area of silica aerogels and doped aerogels are higher than 800 m 2 /g. (authors)

Super insulating aerogel glazing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Jørgen Munthe; Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev; Kristiansen, Finn Harken

2004-01-01

form the weakest part of the thermal envelope with respect to heat loss coefficient, but on the other hand also play an important role for passive solar energy utilisation. For window orientations other than south, the net energy balance will be close to or below zero. However, the properties......Monolithic silica aerogel offers the possibility of combining super insulation and high solar energy transmittance, which has been the background for a previous and a current EU project on research and development of monolithic silica aerogel as transparent insulation in windows. Generally, windows...... of aerogel glazing will allow for a positive net energy gain even for north facing vertical windows in a Danish climate during the heating season. This means that high quality daylight can be obtained even with additional energy gain. On behalf of the partners of the two EU projects, results related...

Multi-scale cellulose based new bio-aerogel composites with thermal super-insulating and tunable mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Seantier, Bastien; Bendahou, Dounia; Bendahou, Abdelkader; Grohens, Yves; Kaddami, Hamid

2016-03-15

Bio-composite aerogels based on bleached cellulose fibers (BCF) and cellulose nanoparticles having various morphological and physico-chemical characteristics are prepared by a freeze-drying technique and characterized. The various composite aerogels obtained were compared to a BCF aerogel used as the reference. Severe changes in the material morphology were observed by SEM and AFM due to a variation of the cellulose nanoparticle properties such as the aspect ratio, the crystalline index and the surface charge density. BCF fibers form a 3D network and they are surrounded by the cellulose nanoparticle thin films inducing a significant reduction of the size of the pores in comparison with a neat BCF based aerogel. BET analyses confirm the appearance of a new organization structure with pores of nanometric sizes. As a consequence, a decrease of the thermal conductivities is observed from 28mWm(-1)K(-1) (BCF aerogel) to 23mWm(-1)K(-1) (bio-composite aerogel), which is below the air conductivity (25mWm(-1)K(-1)). This improvement of the insulation properties for composite materials is more pronounced for aerogels based on cellulose nanoparticles having a low crystalline index and high surface charge (NFC-2h). The significant improvement of their insulation properties allows the bio-composite aerogels to enter the super-insulating materials family. The characteristics of cellulose nanoparticles also influence the mechanical properties of the bio-composite aerogels. A significant improvement of the mechanical properties under compression is obtained by self-organization, yielding a multi-scale architecture of the cellulose nanoparticles in the bio-composite aerogels. In this case, the mechanical property is more dependent on the morphology of the composite aerogel rather than the intrinsic characteristics of the cellulose nanoparticles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A saxs study of silica aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craievich, A.F.

1986-01-01

Aerogels produced by hypercritical drying of gels from hydrolysis of TMOS (Tetramethoxysilane) in various pH conditions and subjected to a densification process were studied by SAXS using LURE synchrotron facility. The evaluation of scattering data combined with BET measurements leads to a model of aerogels consisting of a light density matrix in which meso-and macro-pores are embedded. (Author) [pt

B1 Aerogels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duer, Karsten; Svendsen, Sv Aa Højgaard

1996-01-01

, engineering and architectural basis which will support the appropriate use of aerogels in windows, solar collectors and passive solar applications, with the aim of saving or producing thermal energy for use in buildings".This objective is in very good agreement with the general scope of task 18 but where Task...... of aerogel as a material for window applications3. Construction of an aerogel DGU and measurement of key performance parameters. The goal for the aerogel DGU was to reach a Total Solar Energy Transmittance above 0.75 and a U-value below 0.5 W/m²K. These are values that can not be simultaneously reached......The report summarizes the work that has been carried out within the project "B1 AEROGELS" as a part of the IEA SH&CP Task 18 "Advanced Glazing and Associated Materials For Solar And Building Applications".By providing at the same time thermal insulation and transparency the silica aerogel is a very...

Enhanced electrochemical capacitance and oil-absorbability of N-doped graphene aerogel by using amino-functionalized silica as template and doping agent

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yongxu; Liu, Libin; Xiang, Yu; Zhang, Qiang

2018-03-01

The development of novel energy storage devices with high power density and energy density is highly desired. However, as a promising material, the strong π-π interaction of graphene inhibits its applications. Herein, we provide a new approach that amino-functionalized silica are used as both templates to prevent the restacking of the graphene sheets and doping agents simultaneously. The microstructures, porous properties and chemical composition of the resulted N-doped reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogels, characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement, indicate that the amount of SiO2-NH2 has profound effects on the surface area and carbon activity of the graphene sheets. Benefiting from the large specific surface area of 481.8 m2 g-1, low series resistances and high nitrogen doping content (4.4 atom%), the as-fabricated 3D hierarchical porous N-doped RGO aerogel electrode exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance in aqueous and organic electrolyte, such as ultrahigh specific capacitances of 350 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and excellent reversibility with a cycling efficiency of 88% after 10000 cycles. In addition, the N-doped RGO aerogels possess high oil-absorbability with long recyclability.

Highly sensitive room temperature organic vapor sensor based on polybenzoxazine-derived carbon aerogel thin film composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thubsuang, Uthen; Sukanan, Darunee; Sahasithiwat, Somboon; Wongkasemjit, Sujitra; Chaisuwan, Thanyalak

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbon aerogel with high surface area can be prepared from polybenzoxazine. • Activated carbon aerogel enhances the adsorption capacity of gas sensor. • Organic vapors with very low concentration can be detected by the as-prepared sensor. • The as-prepared sensor shows impressive short exposure and recovery time. • The response to different organic vapors can be tailored by changing polymer matrix. - Abstract: Gas sensing composites were fabricated using polybenzoxazine-based activated carbon aerogel as a conductive filler. The activated carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material, which has high pore volume of 0.57 cm 3 /g and surface area of 917 m 2 /g. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite displayed good response of 11.2 and 6.7 to toluene and n-hexane, respectively, compared to those of graphite/polybutadiene composite. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed high sensitivity of 3.09 × 10 2 ppm −1 to toluene. However, the sensitivity of activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite drastically decreased to 1.99 ppm −1 and zero when exposed to acetone and water, respectively. Contrarily, when polyvinyl alcohol was used as a matrix, the sensitivity was about 4.19 ppm −1 to water. While the composite was found to be not sensitive to toluene. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed good recovery as the electrical resistance came back to the original value within minutes when exposed to nitrogen gas

Evaluation of supercritical CO2 dried cellulose aerogels as nano-biomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sinah; Kang, Kyu-Young; Jeong, Myung-Joon; Potthast, Antje; Liebner, Falk

2017-10-01

Cellulose is the renewable, biodegradable and abundant resource and is suggested as an alternative material to silica due to the high price and environmental load of silica. The first step for cellulose aerogel production is to dissolve cellulose, and hydrated calcium thiocyanate molten salt is one of the most effective solvents for preparing porous material. Cellulose aerogels were prepared from dissolved cellulose samples of different degree of polymerization (DP) and drying methods, and tested with shrinkage, density and mechanical strength. Supercritical CO2 dried cellulose aerogels shrank less compared to freeze-dried cellulose aerogels, whereas the densities were increased according to the DP increases in both cellulose aerogels. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the higher DP cellulose aerogels were more uniform with micro-porous structure. Regarding the mechanical strength of cellulose aerogels, supercritical CO2 dried cellulose aerogels with higher molecular weight were much more solid.

Evacuation and assembly of aerogel glazings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev

1999-01-01

The application of monolithic silica aerogel as transparent insulation material for windows has been investigated for some years. It has been realised that a major problem of an industrial production of aerogel glazings will be the time for evacuation of the aerogel material. However, in a previous...... process, it can be considered as semi-online, and especially the capital cost is significantly lower for this method in comparison with a true online process. So hereby, a major obstacle is overcome with respect to a first industrial production of aerogel glazings.The apparatus has been constructed...

Highly sensitive room temperature organic vapor sensor based on polybenzoxazine-derived carbon aerogel thin film composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thubsuang, Uthen [Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Resources, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160 (Thailand); Sukanan, Darunee [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Sahasithiwat, Somboon [National Metal and Materials Technology Center, Thailand Science Park (TSP), Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120 (Thailand); Wongkasemjit, Sujitra [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Chaisuwan, Thanyalak, E-mail: thanyalak.c@chula.ac.th [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbon aerogel with high surface area can be prepared from polybenzoxazine. • Activated carbon aerogel enhances the adsorption capacity of gas sensor. • Organic vapors with very low concentration can be detected by the as-prepared sensor. • The as-prepared sensor shows impressive short exposure and recovery time. • The response to different organic vapors can be tailored by changing polymer matrix. - Abstract: Gas sensing composites were fabricated using polybenzoxazine-based activated carbon aerogel as a conductive filler. The activated carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material, which has high pore volume of 0.57 cm{sup 3}/g and surface area of 917 m{sup 2}/g. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite displayed good response of 11.2 and 6.7 to toluene and n-hexane, respectively, compared to those of graphite/polybutadiene composite. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed high sensitivity of 3.09 × 10{sup 2} ppm{sup −1} to toluene. However, the sensitivity of activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite drastically decreased to 1.99 ppm{sup −1} and zero when exposed to acetone and water, respectively. Contrarily, when polyvinyl alcohol was used as a matrix, the sensitivity was about 4.19 ppm{sup −1} to water. While the composite was found to be not sensitive to toluene. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed good recovery as the electrical resistance came back to the original value within minutes when exposed to nitrogen gas.

Synthesis and physical properties of TEOS-based silica aerogels prepared by two step (acid-base) sol-gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswara Rao, A.; Bhagat, S.D.

2004-01-01

The experimental results on the synthesis and physical properties of tetra-ethoxy-silane- (TEOS) based silica aerogels produced by two step (acid-base) sol-gel process, are reported. The oxalic acid (A) and NH 4 OH (B) concentrations were varied from 0 to 0.1 M and from 0.4 to 3 M, respectively. Monolithic and transparent aerogels have been obtained for the values of A=0.001 M and B=1 M. The effect of time interval (t) before the base catalyst (NH 4 OH) addition to the acidic sol was studied from 0 to 72 h. The time interval at t=24 h of NH 4 OH addition was found to be the best, in terms of low volume shrinkage, high optical transmission and monolithicity. The molar ratio of EtOH/TEOS (S) was varied from 3 to 7.5. Monolithic and transparent aerogels were obtained for an S value of 6.9. Also, the effects of molar ratio of acidic water, i.e., H 2 O/TEOS (W1) and basic water, i.e., H 2 O/TEOS (W2) on the physical properties of the aerogels have been studied. Highly transparent (about 90%) and monolithic aerogels with lower volume shrinkage ( 2 O):basic (H 2 O). The results are discussed by taking into consideration the hydrolysis and poly-condensation reactions. The aerogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical transmission, bulk density, volume shrinkage and porosity measurements. (authors)

Aerogel Hybrid Composite Materials: Designs and Testing for Multifunctional Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha K.; Fesmire, James E.

2016-01-01

This webinar will introduce the broad spectrum of aerogel composites and their diverse performance properties such as reduced heat transfer to energy storage, and expands specifically on the aerogel/fiber laminate systems and testing methodologies. The multi-functional laminate composite system, AeroFiber, and its construction is designed by varying the type of fiber (e.g. polyester, carbon, Kevlar®, Spectra® or Innegral(TradeMark) and combinations thereof), the aerogel panel type and thickness, and overall layup configuration. The combination and design of materials may be customized and tailored to achieve a range of desired properties in the resulting laminate system. Multi-functional properties include structural strength, impact resistance, reduction in heat transfer, increased fire resistance, mechanical energy absorption, and acoustic energy dampening. Applications include aerospace, aircraft, automotive, boating, building and construction, lightweight portable structures, liquefied natural gas, cryogenics, transportation and energy, sporting equipment, and military protective gear industries.

Dimensional and Structural Control of Silica Aerogel Membranes for Miniaturized Motionless Gas Pumps.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Shanyu; Jiang, Bo; Maeder, Thomas; Muralt, Paul; Kim, Nayoung; Matam, Santhosh Kumar; Jeong, Eunho; Han, Yen-Lin; Koebel, Matthias M

2015-08-26

With growing public interest in portable electronics such as micro fuel cells, micro gas total analysis systems, and portable medical devices, the need for miniaturized air pumps with minimal electrical power consumption is on the rise. Thus, the development and downsizing of next-generation thermal transpiration gas pumps has been investigated intensively during the last decades. Such a system relies on a mesoporous membrane that generates a thermomolecular pressure gradient under the action of an applied temperature bias. However, the development of highly miniaturized active membrane materials with tailored porosity and optimized pumping performance remains a major challenge. Here we report a systematic study on the manufacturing of aerogel membranes using an optimized, minimal-shrinkage sol-gel process, leading to low thermal conductivity and high air conductance. This combination of properties results in superior performance for miniaturized thermomolecular air pump applications. The engineering of such aerogel membranes, which implies pore structure control and chemical surface modification, requires both chemical processing know-how and a detailed understanding of the influence of the material properties on the spatial flow rate density. Optimal pumping performance was found for devices with integrated membranes with a density of 0.062 g cm(-3) and an average pore size of 142.0 nm. Benchmarking of such low-density hydrophobic active aerogel membranes gave an air flow rate density of 3.85 sccm·cm(-2) at an operating temperature of 400 °C. Such a silica aerogel membrane based system has shown more than 50% higher pumping performance when compared to conventional transpiration pump membrane materials as well as the ability to withstand higher operating temperatures (up to 440 °C). This study highlights new perspectives for the development of miniaturized thermal transpiration air pumps while offering insights into the fundamentals of molecular pumping in

Investigation of polyurea-crosslinked silica aerogels as a neuronal scaffold: a pilot study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firouzeh Sabri

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Polymer crosslinked aerogels are an attractive class of materials for future implant applications particularly as a biomaterial for the support of nerve growth. The low density and nano-porous structure of this material combined with large surface area, high mechanical strength, and tunable surface properties, make aerogels materials with a high potential in aiding repair of injuries of the peripheral nervous system. however, the interaction of neurons with aerogels remains to be investigated. METHODOLOGY: In this work the attachment and growth of neurons on clear polyurea crosslinked silica aerogels (PCSA coated with: poly-L-lysine, basement membrane extract (BME, and laminin1 was investigated by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy. After comparing the attachment and growth capability of neurons on these different coatings, laminin1 and BME were chosen for nerve cell attachment and growth on PCSA surfaces. The behavior of neurons on treated petri dish surfaces was used as the control and behavior of neurons on treated PCSA discs was compared against it. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that: 1 untreated PCSA surfaces do not support attachment and growth of nerve cells, 2 a thin application of laminin1 layer onto the PCSA discs adhered well to the PCSA surface while also supporting growth and differentiation of neurons as evidenced by the number of processes extended and b3-tubulin expression, 3 three dimensional porous structure of PCSA remains intact after fixing protocols necessary for preservation of biological samples and 4 laminin1 coating proved to be the most effective method for attaching neurons to the desired regions on PCSA discs. This work provides the basis for potential use of PCSA as a biomaterial scaffold for neural regeneration.

Monolithic silica aerogel - material design on the nano-scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev; Schultz, Jørgen Munthe; Kristiansen, Finn Harken

structure of aerogel could be used for gas filters in the 20 to 100 nm region. - The sound velocity within aerogel is in the range of 100 to 300 m/s, which should be one of lowest for an inorganic material. Due to the low density, low acoustic impedance of aerogel could help boost the efficiency...... of piezoelectric transducers. - Other applications could be; waste encapsulation, spacers for vacuum insulation panels, membranes, etc. Department of Civil Engineering is co-ordinator of a current EU FP5 research project1, which deals with the application of aerogel as transparent insulation materials in windows....... Due to the excellent optical and thermal properties of aerogel, it is possible to develop windows with both high insulation and high transmittance, which is impossible applying the conventional window techniques, i.e. extra layers of glass, low-e coatings and gas fillings. It can be shown...

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly (styrene-co-butyl acrylate)/Silica Aerogel Nanocomposites by in situ AGET ATRP: Investigating Thermal Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Khezri, Khezrollah; Fazli, Yousef

2017-10-01

Hydrophilic silica aerogel nanoparticles surface was modified with hexamethyldisilazane. Then, the resultant modified nanoparticles were used in random copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate via activators generated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. Conversion and molecular weight determinations were performed using gas and size exclusion chromatography respectively. Addition of modified nanoparticles by 3 wt% results in a decrease of conversion from 68 to 46 %. Molecular weight of copolymer chains decreases from 12,500 to 7,500 g.mol-1 by addition of 3 wt% modified nanoparticles; however, PDI values increase from 1.1 to 1.4. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results indicate that the molar ratio of each monomer in the copolymer chains is approximately similar to the initial selected mole ratio of them. Increasing thermal stability of the nanocomposites is demonstrated by thermal gravimetric analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry also shows a decrease in glass transition temperature by increasing modified silica aerogel nanoparticles.

Very large-scale structures in sintered silica aerogels as evidenced by atomic force microscopy and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering experiments

CERN Document Server

Marliere, C; Etienne, P; Woignier, T; Dieudonné, P; Phalippou, J

2001-01-01

During the last few years the bulk structure of silica aerogels has been extensively studied mainly by scattering techniques (neutrons, X-rays, light). It has been shown that small silica particles aggregate to constitute a fractal network. Its spatial extension and fractal dimension are strongly dependent on the synthesis conditions (e.g., pH of gelifying solutions). These typical lengths range from 1 to 10 nm. Ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments have been carried out on aerogels at different steps of densification. The results presented in this paper reveal the existence of a spatial arrangement of the solid part at a very large length scale. The evolution of this very large-scale structure during the densification process has been studied and reveals a contraction of this macro-structure made of aggregates of clusters. (16 refs).

Silica Aerogels Doped with Ru(II) Tris 1,l0-Phenanthro1ine)-Electron Acceptor Dyads: Improving the Dynamic Range, Sensitivity and Response Time of Sol-Gel Based Oxygen Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Kevebtusm Bucgikas; Rawashdeh, Abdel M.; Elder, Ian A.; Yang, Jinhua; Dass, Amala; Sotiriou-Leventis, Chariklia

2005-01-01

Complexes 1 and 2 were characterized in fluid and frozen solution and as dopants of silica aerogels. The intramolecular quenching efficiency of pendant 4-benzoyl-N-methylpyridinium group (4BzPy) is solvent dependent: emission is quenched completely in acetonitrile but not in alcohols. On the other hand, N-benzyl-N'-methylviologen (BzMeV) quenches the emission in all solvents completely. The differences are traced electrochemically to a stronger solvation effect by the alcohol in the case of 1. In fiozen matrices or absorbed on the surfaces of silica aerogel, both 1 and 2 are photoluminescent. The lack of quenching has been traced to the environmental rigidity. When doped aerogels are cooled to 77K, the emission shifts to the blue and its intensity increases in analogy to what is observed with Ru(II) complexes in media undergoing fluid-to-rigid transition. The photoluminescence of 1 and 2 from the aerogel is quenched by oxygen diffusing through the pores. In the presence of oxygen, aerogels doped with 1 can modulate their emission over a wider dynamic range than aerogels doped with 2, and both are more sensitive than aerogels doped with Ru(II) tris(1,l0- phenanthroline). In contrast to frozen solutions, the luminescent moieties in the bulk of aerogels kept at 77K are still accessible, leading to more sensitive platforms for oxygen sensors than other ambient temperature configurations.

Synthesis of aerogel tiles with high light scattering length

CERN Document Server

Danilyuk, A F; Okunev, A G; Onuchin, A P; Shaurman, S A

1999-01-01

The possibility of aerogel tiles production for RICH detectors is described. Monolithic blocks of silica aerogel were synthesized by two-step sol-gel processing of tetraethoxysilane Si(OEt) sub 4 followed by high temperature supercritical drying with organic solvent. The important characteristic of aerogel is the light scattering length. In the wide range of refraction indexes the light scattering length exceeds 4 cm at 400 nm.

Compressive properties of silica aerogel at 295, 76, and 20K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arvidson, J.M.; Scull, L.L.

1986-01-01

Specimens of silica aerogel were tested in compression at 295, 76, and 20 K in a helium gas environment. The properties reported include Young's modulus, the proportional limit, and yield strength. Compressive stress-versus-strain curves at these temperatures are also given. A test apparatus was developed specifically to determine the compressive properties of low strength materials. To measure specimen strain a concentric, overlapping-cylinder, capacitance extensometer was developed. This frictionless device has the capability to conduct variable temperature tests at any temperature from 1.8 to 295 K. Results from the compression tests indicate that at low temperatures the material is not only stronger, but tougher. During 295-K compression tests, the samples fractured and, in some cases, crumbled. After 76- or 20-K compression tests, the specimens remained intact

Aerogel to simulate delamination and porosity defects in carbon-fiber reinforced polymer composites

Science.gov (United States)

Juarez, Peter; Leckey, Cara A. C.

2018-04-01

Representative defect standards are essential for the validation and calibration of new and existing inspection techniques. However, commonly used methods of simulating delaminations in carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites do not accurately represent the behavior of the real-world defects for several widely-used NDE techniques. For instance, it is common practice to create a delamination standard by inserting Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in between ply layers. However, PTFE can transmit more ultrasonic energy than actual delaminations, leading to an unrealistic representation of the defect inspection. PTFE can also deform/wrinkle during the curing process and has a thermal effusivity two orders of magnitude higher than air (almost equal to that of a CFRP). It is therefore not effective in simulating a delamination for thermography. Currently there is also no standard practice for producing or representing a known porosity in composites. This paper presents a novel method of creating delamination and porosity standards using aerogel. Insertion of thin sheets of solid aerogel between ply layers during layup is shown to produce air-gap-like delaminations creating realistic ultrasonic and thermographic inspection responses. Furthermore, it is shown that depositing controlled amounts of aerogel powder can represent porosity. Micrograph data verifies the structural integrity of the aerogel through the composite curing process. This paper presents data from multiple NDE methods, including X-ray computed tomography, immersion ultrasound, and flash thermography to the effectiveness of aerogel as a delamination and porosity simulant.

Aerogel as a Sample Collector and Sample Mount for Transmission XRD Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bish, D. L.; Vaniman, D. T.; Chipera, S. J.; Yen, A. S.; Jones, S. M.

2001-01-01

Silica aerogel can be used for dust collection and in situ X-ray analysis. Aerogels can be less absorbing than Be, and it is feasible to obtain X-ray transmission factors >50% using typical aerogels together with a 100-micrometer Be backing foil. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Nanoporous aerogel as a bacteria repelling hygienic material for healthcare environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Jun Kyun; Kohli, Nandita; Zhang, Yuanzhong; Min, Younjin; Jayaraman, Arul; Cisneros-Zevallos, Luis; Akbulut, Mustafa

2016-02-26

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by pathogenic bacteria are a worldwide problem and responsible for numerous cases of morbidity and mortality. Exogenous cross-contamination is one of the main mechanisms contributing to such infections. This work investigates the potential of hydrophobically modified nanoporous silica aerogel as an antiadhesive hygienic material that can inhibit exogenous bacterial contamination. Nanoporous silica aerogels were synthesized via sol-gel polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate and hydrophobized using trimethylsilyl chloride. Bacterial adhesion characteristics were evaluated via dip-inoculation in suspensions of Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus to hydrophobic nanoporous silica aerogel (HNSA) was found to be significantly lower than that to hydrophilic and hydrophobic nonporous silica materials: 99.91% (E. coli O157:H7) and 99.93% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophilic nonporous silica, and 82.95% (E. coli O157:H7) and 84.90% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophobic nonporous silica. These results suggest that the use of HNSA as surfaces that come into contact with bacterial pathogens in the healthcare environment can improve bacterial hygiene, and therefore may reduce the rate of HAIs.

Nanoporous aerogel as a bacteria repelling hygienic material for healthcare environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Jun Kyun; Akbulut, Mustafa; Kohli, Nandita; Jayaraman, Arul; Zhang, Yuanzhong; Min, Younjin; Cisneros-Zevallos, Luis

2016-01-01

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by pathogenic bacteria are a worldwide problem and responsible for numerous cases of morbidity and mortality. Exogenous cross-contamination is one of the main mechanisms contributing to such infections. This work investigates the potential of hydrophobically modified nanoporous silica aerogel as an antiadhesive hygienic material that can inhibit exogenous bacterial contamination. Nanoporous silica aerogels were synthesized via sol–gel polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate and hydrophobized using trimethylsilyl chloride. Bacterial adhesion characteristics were evaluated via dip-inoculation in suspensions of Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus to hydrophobic nanoporous silica aerogel (HNSA) was found to be significantly lower than that to hydrophilic and hydrophobic nonporous silica materials: 99.91% (E. coli O157:H7) and 99.93% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophilic nonporous silica, and 82.95% (E. coli O157:H7) and 84.90% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophobic nonporous silica. These results suggest that the use of HNSA as surfaces that come into contact with bacterial pathogens in the healthcare environment can improve bacterial hygiene, and therefore may reduce the rate of HAIs. (paper)

Impact of polishing on the light scattering at aerogel surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnyakov, A.Yu.; Barnyakov, M.Yu.; Bobrovnikov, V.S.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Katcin, A.A.; Kononov, S.A.; Kirilenko, P.S.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Kuyanov, I.A.; Onuchin, A.P.; Ovtin, I.V.; Predein, A.Yu.; Protsenko, R.S.

2016-01-01

Particle identification power of modern aerogel RICH detectors strongly depends on optical quality of radiators. It was shown that wavelength dependence of aerogel tile transparency after polishing cannot be described by the standard Hunt formula. The Hunt formula has been modified to describe scattering in a thin layer of silica dust on the surface of aerogel tile. Several procedures of polishing of aerogel tile have been tested. The best result has been achieved while using natural silk tissue. The resulting block has optical smooth surfaces. The measured decrease of aerogel transparency due to surface scattering is about few percent. This result could be used for production of radiators for the Focusing Aerogel RICH detectors.

Aerogels Materials as Space Debris Collectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thierry Woignier

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Material degradation due to the specific space environment becomes a key parameter for space missions. The use of large surface of brittle materials on satellites can produce, if impacted by hypervelocity particles, ejected volumes of mater 100 times higher than the impacting one. The presented work is devoted to the use of silica aerogels as passive detectors. Aerogels have been exposed to the low earth orbit of the ISS for 18 months. The study describes the aerogels process and the choice of synthesis parameters in such a way to get expected features in terms of porosity, mechanical properties, internal stresses, and transparency. Low-density aerogels (0.09 g·cm−3 have been prepared. The control of transparency necessary to see and identify particles and fragments collected is obtained using a base catalysis during gel synthesis. After return to earth, the aerogels samples have been observed using optical microscopy to detect and quantify craters on the exposed surface. First results obtained on a small part of the aerogels indicate a large number of debris collected in the materials.

Polyaniline-Coated Activated Carbon Aerogel/Sulfur Composite for High-performance Lithium-Sulfur Battery

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Zhiwei; Jiang, Jinglin; Liu, Shaohong; Chen, Luyi; Liu, Ruliang; Zheng, Bingna; Fu, Ruowen; Wu, Dingcai

2017-12-01

An activated carbon aerogel (ACA-500) with high surface area (1765 m2 g-1), pore volume (2.04 cm3 g-1), and hierarchical porous nanonetwork structure is prepared through direct activation of organic aerogel (RC-500) with a low potassium hydroxide ratio (1:1). Based on this substrate, a polyaniline (PANi)-coated activated carbon aerogel/sulfur (ACA-500-S@PANi) composite is prepared via a simple two-step procedure, including melt-infiltration of sublimed sulfur into ACA-500, followed by an in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of ACA-500-S composite. The obtained ACA-500-S@PANi composite delivers a high reversible capacity up to 1208 mAh g-1 at 0.2C and maintains 542 mAh g-1 even at a high rate (3C). Furthermore, this composite exhibits a discharge capacity of 926 mAh g-1 at the initial cycle and 615 mAh g-1 after 700 cycles at 1C rate, revealing an extremely low capacity decay rate (0.48‰ per cycle). The excellent electrochemical performance of ACA-500-S@PANi can be attributed to the synergistic effect of hierarchical porous nanonetwork structure and PANi coating. Activated carbon aerogels with high surface area and unique three-dimensional (3D) interconnected hierarchical porous structure offer an efficient conductive network for sulfur, and a highly conductive PANi-coating layer further enhances conductivity of the electrode and prevents the dissolution of polysulfide species.

Hybrid aerogels and bioactive aerogels under uniaxial compression: an in situ SAXS study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esquivias, L.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The complex structure of hybrid organic/inorganic aerogels is composed by an inorganic phase covalently bonded to an organic chain forming a copolymer. Conventional hybrid aerogels were studied as well as bioactive hybrid aerogels, that is, aerogels with a calcium active phase added. In this work, the relationship between mechanical response and nanostructure was studied, using a specifically designed sample-holder for in situ uniaxial compression obtaining at the same time the small-angle X-ray pattern from synchrotron radiation (SAXS. Structural elements can be described as a particulated silica core surrounded by the organic chains. These chains are compressed on the direction parallel to the load, and a relationship between macroscopic uniaxial compression and particle and pore deformations can be established.

La compleja estructura de los aerogeles híbridos orgánico/inorgánicos está compuesta por una fase inorgánica de sílice, unida mediante enlaces covalentes a una red de cadenas orgánicas. Se han estudiado composites híbridos convencionales y bioactivos, esto es, con una fase activa de calcio añadida. En este trabajo se ha investigado la relación entre la respuesta mecánica y la nanoestructura, con ayuda de un portamuestras específicamente diseñado para el estudio in situ de muestras bajo compresión uniaxial, a la vez que se obtiene el espectro de rayos-X a bajo-ángulo de radiación sincrotrón (SAXS. Los elementos estructurales se pueden describir como núcleos particulados de sílice rodeados de las cadenas orgánicas. Estas, se comprimen en la dirección paralela a la carga pudiéndose establecer una relación entre la compresión uniaxial macroscópica y la deformación de las partículas y poros que forman la estructura.

Optical characterization of n=1.03 silica aerogel used as radiator in the RICH of HERMES

CERN Document Server

Aschenauer, E; Capitani, G P; Carter, P; Casalino, C; Cisbani, E; Coluzza, C; De Leo, R; De Sanctis, E; De Schepper, D; Dzhordzhadze, V; Filippone, B W; Frullani, S; Garibaldi, F; Hansen, J O; Hommez, B; Iodice, M; Jackson, H E; Kaiser, R; Kanesaka, J; Lagamba, L; Muccifora, V; Nappi, E; Nowak, Wolf-Dieter; O'Neill, T G; Potterveld, D; Ryckbosch, D; Sakemi, Y; Sato, F; Schwind, A; Suetsugu, K; Shibata, T A; Thomas, E; Tytgat, M; Urciuoli, G M; Kerckhove, K V D; Vyver, R V D; Yoneyama, S; Zhang, L F

2000-01-01

The optical properties of silica aerogel tiles with a refractive index of 1.03 and dimensions 11x11x1 cm sup 3 , produced by the Matsushita Electric Works (Japan), have been measured in the wavelength range from 200 to 900 nm. The tiles are used as one of the two radiators of the ring imaging Cherenkov counter of the HERMES experiment at DESY-HERA. The transmittance of light has been measured on 200 tiles by means of a double beam spectrophotometer. The light transflectance and reflectance have been measured on one tile by means of a single-beam spectrophotometer and an integrating reflecting sphere. Typical values of the measured transmittances at a wavelength lambda=400 nm are around 0.67. The measured transflectance increases almost linearly from 0.4 to 0.96 in the interval 200-300 nm, and remains nearly constant at the value 0.95 in the complementary lambda-range. The measured reflectance, mostly confined below 400 nm, is completely interpretable as backscattering from inside the aerogel, revealing an abs...

Electrospinning of polymer-aerogel composite fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Fojan, Peter

En poster om produktion af polymer-aerogel kompositfibre ved hjælp af elektrospinning. Fiberne er produceret fra en opløsning af aerogel og polyethylene oxide i vand, som er elektrospundet gennem en enkeltnålsprocess....

Magnetic and Mössbauer spectroscopy studies of nanocrystalline iron oxide aerogels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carpenter, E.E.; Long, J.W.; Rolison, D.R.

2006-01-01

A sol-gel synthesis was used to produce iron oxide aerogels. These nanocrystalline aerogels have a pore-solid structure similar to silica aerogels but are composed entirely of iron oxides. Mössbauer experiments and x-ray diffraction showed that the as-prepared aerogel is an amorphous or poorly...... crystalline iron oxide, which crystallized as a partially oxidized magnetite during heating in argon. After further heat treatment in air, the nanocrystallites are fully converted to maghemite. The particles are superparamagnetic at high temperatures, but the magnetic properties are strongly influenced...

Foam/Aerogel Composite Materials for Thermal and Acoustic Insulation and Cryogen Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); Sass, Jared P. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

The invention involves composite materials containing a polymer foam and an aerogel. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability, good acoustic insulation, and excellent physical mechanical properties. The composite materials can be used, for instance, for heat and acoustic insulation on aircraft, spacecraft, and maritime ships in place of currently used foam panels and other foam products. The materials of the invention can also be used in building construction with their combination of light weight, strength, elasticity, ability to be formed into desired shapes, and superior thermal and acoustic insulation power. The materials have also been found to have utility for storage of cryogens. A cryogenic liquid or gas, such as N.sub.2 or H.sub.2, adsorbs to the surfaces in aerogel particles. Thus, another embodiment of the invention provides a storage vessel for a cryogen.

Fluorescent single walled nanotube/silica composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Dattelbaum, Andrew M.; Gupta, Gautam; Duque, Juan G.; Doorn, Stephen K.; Hamilton, Christopher E.; DeFriend Obrey, Kimberly A.

2013-03-12

Fluorescent composites of surfactant-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were prepared by exposing suspensions of surfactant-wrapped carbon nanotubes to tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS) vapor. Sodium deoxycholate (DOC) and sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) were the surfactants. No loss in emission intensity was observed when the suspension of DOC-wrapped SWNTs were exposed to the TMOS vapors, but about a 50% decrease in the emission signal was observed from the SDS-wrapped SWNTs nanotubes. The decrease in emission was minimal by buffering the SDS/SWNT suspension prior to forming the composite. Fluorescent xerogels were prepared by adding glycerol to the SWNT suspensions prior to TMOS vapor exposure, followed by drying the gels. Fluorescent aerogels were prepared by replacing water in the gels with methanol and then exposing them to supercritical fluid drying conditions. The aerogels can be used for gas sensing.

Study of transport properties and conduction mechanism of pure and composite resorcinol formaldehyde aerogel doped with Co-ferrite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attia, S.M.; Sharshar, T.; Abd-Elwahed, A.R.; Tawfik, A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A novel composite RF aerogels with Co-ferrite were prepared by sol–gel process. • RF aerogels exhibit a semiconducting behavior. • The dielectric constant of RF aerogel is very low (4 times as that of air) and can be controlled by adding Co-ferrite. • Large overlapping polaron (OLP) was found to be the preferred conduction mechanism in these materials. -- Abstract: A series of resorcinol formaldehyde aerogels (RF aerogels) composite with nanoparticles of CoFe 2 O 4 have been prepared by sol–gel method. Four samples of pure RF aerogels were prepared at different concentrations of Na 2 CO 3 as catalyst (0.02, 0.025, 0.03, and 0.04 wt.%) and four samples of composite RF aerogels were prepared at different concentration of doped CoFe 2 O 4 (0.075, 0.1, 0.125, and 0.15 wt.%; Na 2 CO 3 concentration = 0.03 wt.%). DC electrical conductivity as a function of temperature was studied in the temperature range 25 °C–200 °C for all samples. AC electrical conductivity and dielectric properties were determined using RLC Bridge in the frequency range 100 Hz–1 MHz at different temperature (25–200 °C). The pore size of the samples was determined using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). RF aerogels are found to exhibit a semiconducting behavior and characterized by two transition temperatures T 1 and T 2 . Also σ DC increases with increase of Co-ferrite contents. Pure RF aerogels posses a very low dielectric constant, where the lowest value of ε′ is ∼4 times as that of air. ε′ decreases with increase of frequency, and increases with increase of temperature. Large overlapping polaron (OLP) is found to be the preferred conduction mechanism in these materials. The results of PALS show that there are two types of pore size in these samples; the first ranges from 1.9 to 2.5 nm, while the second ranges from 3.2 to 5.3 nm

Measurements of scattering, transmittance/reflectance, IR-transmittance and thermal conductivity of small aerogel samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duer, Karsten; Svendsen, Sv Aa Højgaard

1997-01-01

By providing at the same time thermal insulation and transparency the silica aerogel is a very attractive material for the purpose of improving the thermal performance of windows. Nevertheless a lot of problems have to be solved on the way from concept to the developed product. The B1 Aerogels...... project deals with some of these problems.This report summarizes the work that has been carried out on the subject of characterizing the optical and thermal performance of different types of aerogels and aerogel-like materials for the purpose of using aerogel in clear glazings.All measurements presented...

Optimization of an aerogel cerenkov detector having a mirror light collection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, K.E.; Aakesson, T.; Norrby, J.

1979-01-01

Cerenkov detectors with silica aerogel of refractive indec 1.03 as the radiator have been tested in a particle beam at the CERN Proton Synchrotron. With a detector surface of 22 x 50 cm 2 and 9 cm thickness of aerogel, the number of photoelectrons was found to be 6.5 for β = 1 particles. (author)

A RICH with aerogel: a study of refractive index uniformity

CERN Document Server

Alemi, M; Calvi, M; Matteuzzi, C; Musy, M; Perego, D L; Easo, S

2004-01-01

The use of aerogel as a radiator in the RICH detectors of LHCb is a challenge due to the hot environment of the hadron collider LHC. Large size tiles of silica aerogel were recently produced with unprecedented optical quality for such dimensions. Results of laboratory measurements and beam tests are briefly reported. A description of a method to measure the uniformity of the index of refraction within the tile is given.

Ultrahigh specific capacitances for supercapacitors achieved by nickel cobaltite/carbon aerogel composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chien, Hsing-Chi; Cheng, Wei-Yun; Wang, Yong-Hui; Lu, Shih-Yuan [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, Taiwan (China)

2012-12-05

Nickel cobaltite, a low cost and an environmentally friendly supercapacitive material, is deposited as a thin nanostructure of 3-5 nm nanocrystals into carbon aerogels, a mesoporous host template of high specific surface areas and high electric conductivities, with a two-step wet chemistry process. This nickel cobaltite/carbon aerogel composite shows ultrahigh specific capacitances of around 1700 F g{sup -1} at a scan rate of 25 mV s{sup -1} within a potential window of -0.05 to 0.5 V in 1 M NaOH solutions. The composite also possesses an excellent high rate capability manifested by maintaining specific capacitances above 800 F g{sup -1} at a high scan rate of 500 mV s{sup -1}, and an outstanding cycling stability demonstrated by a negligible 2.4% decay in specific capacitances after 2000 cycles. The success is attributable to the fuller utilization of nickel cobaltite for pseudocapacitance generation, made possible by the composite structure enabling well exposed nickel cobaltite to the electrolyte and easy transport of charge carriers, ions, and electrons, within the composite electrode. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Aerogel as Cherenkov radiator for RICH detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Braem, A.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Calvi, M.; Chesi, E.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Easo, S.; Hansen, C.; Jolly, S.; Joram, C.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Liko, D.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Neufeld, N.; Onuchin, A.P.; Seguinot, J.; Weilhammer, P.; Wotton, S.

2003-01-01

We present here the results obtained using silica aerogel as Cherenkov radiator for the separation and identification of particles in the momentum range from 6 to 10 GeV/c. Photoelectron yield and Cherenkov ring resolution were studied under different experimental conditions and compared to the simulation

Aerogel sorbents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Begag, Redouane; Rhine, Wendell E.; Dong, Wenting

2018-04-03

The current invention describes methods and compositions of various sorbents based on aerogels of various silanes and their use as sorbent for carbon dioxide. Methods further provide for optimizing the compositions to increase the stability of the sorbents for prolonged use as carbon dioxide capture matrices.

Propiedades mecánicas de aerogeles híbridos de sílice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piñero, M.

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Hybrids silica aerogels have been obtained by means the high power ultrasounds application in the precursor liquid and the drying of the wet gel under the supercritical condition of ethanol. The organic chains don’t degrade thermally and accelerate the network shrinkage process by thermal activation. The ultrasounds induce an organic chain crosslinking bonding to the porous silica clusters and avoid its cyclidation. The failure tests by uniaxial compression show an increase of the rupture modulus, passing from 8 MPa for a pure silica aerogel to 24 MPa for an aerogel with a 50 weight % of polymer content. It is also noted a continuous decrease of the Young’s modulus with the polymer content (from 100 to 56 MPa. These hybrid aerogels behave as elastomers with up to a 50% strain, showing a decrease in the relaxation viscoelastic modulus.

Se han obtenido aerogeles híbridos de sílice orgánico-inorgánico por aplicación de ultrasonidos de alta potencia en los precursores líquidos y posterior secado del gel húmedo en condiciones supercríticas en etanol. Las cadenas orgánicas no se degradan térmicamente y aceleran el proceso de contracción de la red por activación térmica. Los ultrasonidos inducen un entrecruzamiento de cadenas orgánicas que unen los cúmulos de sílice porosa y evitan su ciclidación. Los ensayos de ruptura en compresión uniaxial indicaron un aumento del módulo de ruptura, pasando de 8 MPa para el aerogel de sílice pura hasta 24 MPa para un aerogel de 50% en peso de contenido de polímero. Se observa asimismo una disminución continua en el módulo de Young con el contenido de polímero (de 100 a 56 MPa. Estos aerogeles híbridos se comportan como elastómeros con deformaciones de hasta el 50%, mostrando una disminución del módulo de relajación viscoelástica.

Fractal dimensions of silica gels generated using reactive molecular dynamics simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharya, Sudin; Kieffer, John

2005-01-01

We have used molecular dynamics simulations based on a three-body potential with charge transfer to generate nanoporous silica aerogels. Care was taken to reproduce the sol-gel condensation reaction that forms the gel backbone as realistically as possible and to thereby produce credible gel structures. The self-similarity of aerogel structures was investigated by evaluating their fractal dimension from geometric correlations. For comparison, we have also generated porous silica glasses by rupturing dense silica and computed their fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of the porous silica structures was found to be process dependent. Finally, we have determined that the effect of supercritical drying on the fractal nature of condensed silica gels is not appreciable

Magnetically separable mesoporous Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/silica catalysts with very low Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grau-Atienza, A.; Serrano, E.; Linares, N. [Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente s/n, E-03690 Alicante (Spain); Svedlindh, P. [Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 534, SE-75121 Uppsala (Sweden); Seisenbaeva, G., E-mail: Gulaim.Seisenbaeva@slu.se [Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, BioCenter SLU, Box 7015, SE-75007 Uppsala (Sweden); García-Martínez, J., E-mail: j.garcia@ua.es [Molecular Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente s/n, E-03690 Alicante (Spain)

2016-05-15

Two magnetically separable Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/SiO{sub 2} (aerogel and MSU-X) composites with very low Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} content (<1 wt%) have been successfully prepared at room temperature by co-condensation of MPTES-functionalized Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (NPs) with a silicon alkoxide. This procedure yields a homogeneous incorporation of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs on silica supports, leading to magnetic composites that can be easily recovered using an external magnetic field, despite their very low Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs content (ca. 1 wt%). These novel hybrid Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/SiO{sub 2} materials have been tested for the oxidation reaction of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) with hydrogen peroxide showing an enhancement of the stability of the NPs in the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/silica aerogel as compared to the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs alone, even after five catalytic cycles, no leaching or agglomeration of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/SiO{sub 2} systems. - Graphical abstract: Novel magnetically separable mesoporous silica-based composites with very low magnetite content. - Highlights: • An innovative way to prepare magnetically separable composites with <1 wt% NPs. • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/silica composites are readily magnetized/demagnetized. • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/silica composites can be easily recovered using an external magnetic field. • Excellent catalytic performance and recyclability despite the low Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs content.

Plasmonic enhancement of visible-light water splitting with Au-TiO2 composite aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Desario, Paul A.; Pietron, Jeremy J.; Devantier, Devyn E.; Brintlinger, Todd H.; Stroud, Rhonda M.; Rolison, Debra R.

2013-08-01

We demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of visible-light-driven splitting of water at three-dimensionally (3D) networked gold-titania (Au-TiO2) aerogels. The sol-gel-derived ultraporous composite nanoarchitecture, which contains 1 to 8.5 wt% Au nanoparticles and titania in the anatase form, retains the high surface area and mesoporosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogels and maintains stable dispersion of the ~5 nm Au guests. A broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) feature centered at ~550 nm is present for the Au-TiO2 aerogels, but not Au-free TiO2 aerogels, and spans a wide range of the visible spectrum. Gold-derived SPR in Au-TiO2 aerogels cast as films on transparent electrodes drives photoelectrochemical oxidation of aqueous hydroxide and extends the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 from the ultraviolet region to visible wavelengths exceeding 700 nm. Films of Au-TiO2 aerogels in which Au nanoparticles are deposited on pre-formed TiO2 aerogels by a deposition-precipitation method (DP Au/TiO2) also photoelectrochemically oxidize aqueous hydroxide, but less efficiently than 3D Au-TiO2, despite having an essentially identical Au nanoparticle weight fraction and size distribution. For example, 3D Au-TiO2 containing 1 wt% Au is as active as DP Au/TiO2 with 4 wt% Au. The higher photocatalytic activity of 3D Au-TiO2 derives only in part from its ability to retain the surface area and porosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogel. The magnitude of improvement indicates that in the 3D arrangement either a more accessible photoelectrochemical reaction interphase (three-phase boundary) exists or more efficient conversion of excited surface plasmons into charge carriers occurs, thereby amplifying reactivity over DP Au/TiO2. The difference in photocatalytic efficiency between the two forms of Au-TiO2 demonstrates the importance of defining the structure of Au||TiO2 interfaces within catalytic Au-TiO2 nanoarchitectures.We demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of visible-light-driven splitting of

Facile synthesis of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogels composites as high-performance anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yu [Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Jin, Yuhong, E-mail: jinyh@bjut.edu.cn [Beijing Guyue New Materials Research Institute, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Zhang, Rupeng [Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Jia, Mengqiu, E-mail: jiamq@mail.buct.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)

2017-08-15

Highlights: • 3D ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogel composites are obtained by a facile method. • The specific capacity of as-prepared 3D ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogel composites are 1049 mAh g{sup −1} at 100 mA g{sup −1} after 100 cycles. • Excellent rate capabilities are observed for 3D ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogel. • 3D ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogel shows enhanced cyclic stability. - Abstract: ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-graphene aerogels (ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/GAs) composites are prepared by two-step method (hydrothermal-calcination). Highly-purified ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles are dispersed uniformly on three-dimensional (3D) GAs substrate. The mass loading of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} in ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/GAs composites is 89.3%. Compared with pure ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} sample, the ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/GAs composites exhibit much higher irreversible capacity of 1449.4 mAh g{sup −1} and enhanced cycling stability (1049 mAh g{sup −1} at 100 mA g{sup −1} after 100 cycles). The improved electrochemical performance of the ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/GAs composites could be attributed from the synergetic effect between 3D conductive GAs and nanostructured ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}.

Synthesis and characterization of a nanocrystalline diamond aerogel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pauzauskie, Peter J.; Crowhurst, Jonathan C.; Worsley, Marcus A.; Laurence, Ted A.; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Wang, Yinmin; Willey, Trevor M.; Visbeck, Kenneth S.; Fakra, Sirine C.; Evans, William J.; Zaug, Joseph M.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.

2011-07-06

Aerogel materials have myriad scientific and technological applications due to their large intrinsic surface areas and ultralow densities. However, creating a nanodiamond aerogel matrix has remained an outstanding and intriguing challenge. Here we report the high-pressure, high-temperature synthesis of a diamond aerogel from an amorphous carbon aerogel precursor using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Neon is used as a chemically inert, near-hydrostatic pressure medium that prevents collapse of the aerogel under pressure by conformally filling the aerogel's void volume. Electron and X-ray spectromicroscopy confirm the aerogel morphology and composition of the nanodiamond matrix. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of recovered material reveal the formation of both nitrogen- and silicon- vacancy point-defects, suggesting a broad range of applications for this nanocrystalline diamond aerogel.

Aerogel Projects Ongoing in MSFC's Engineering Directorate

Science.gov (United States)

Shular, David A.; Smithers, Gweneth A.; Plawsky, Joel L.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

When we speak of an aerogel material, we are referring more to process and structure am to a specific substance. Aerogel, considered the lightest solid material, has been made from silica for seventy years. Resorcinol-formaldehyde, organic aerogels have been developed more recently. However, aerogel can be made from almost any type of substance, even lead. Because an aerogel is mostly air (about 99 %), the solid substance used will affect the weight very little. The term "aerogel" connotes the sol-gel process used to manufacture the material. The aerogel begins as a liquid "sol," becomes a solid "alcogel," and is then dried to become an "aerogel." The final product has a unique structure, useful for exploitation. It is an "open pore" system with nano-sized particles and pores, has very high surface area, and is highly interconnected. Besides low weight, aerogels have ultimate (lowest) values in other properties: thermal conductivity, refractive index, sound speed, and dielectric constant. Aerogels were first prepared in 1931 by Steven Kistler, who used a supercritical drying step to replace the liquid in a gel with air, preserving the structure (1). Kistler's procedure involved a water-to-alcohol exchange step; in the 1970's, this step was eliminated when a French investigator introduced the use of tetramethylorthosilicate. Still, alcohol drying involved dangerously high temperatures and pressures. In the 1980's, the Microstructured Materials Group at Berkeley Laboratory found that the alcohol in the gel could be replaced with liquid carbon dioxide before supercritical drying, which greatly improved safety (2). 'Me most recent major contribution has been that of Deshpande, Smith and Brinker in New Mexico, who are working to eliminate the supercritical drying step (3). When aerogels were first being developed, they were evaporatively dried. However, the wet gel, when dried, underwent severe shrinkage and cracking; this product was termed "xerogel." When the

Structure and Properties of LENRA/ Silica Composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahathir Mohamed; Dahlan Mohd

2010-01-01

The sol-gel reaction using tetra ethoxysilane (TEOS) was conducted for modified natural rubber (NR) matrix to obtain in situ generated NR/ silica composite. The present of acrylate group in the modified NR chain turns the composite into radiation-curable. The maximum amount of silica generated in the matrix was 50 p hr by weight. During the sol-gel process the inorganic mineral was deposited in the rubber matrix forming hydrogen bonding between organic and inorganic phases. The composites obtained were characterized by various techniques including thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectrometry to study their molecular structure. The increase in mechanical properties was observed for low silica contents ( 30 p hr) where more silica were generated, agglomerations were observed at the expense of the mechanical properties. From the DMTA data, it shows an increase of the interaction between the rubber and silica phases up to 30 p hr TEOS. Structure and morphology of the heterogeneous system were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The average particle sizes of between 150 nm to 300 nm were achieved for the composites that contain less than 20 p hr of TEOS. (author)

Construction of silica aerogel radiator system for Belle II RICH Counter

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, I.; Dolenec, R.; Hataya, K.; Iori, S.; Iwata, S.; Kakuno, H.; Kataura, R.; Kawai, H.; Kindo, H.; Kobayashi, T.; Korpar, S.; Križan, P.; Kumita, T.; Mrvar, M.; Nishida, S.; Ogawa, K.; Ogawa, S.; Pestotnik, R.; Šantelj, L.; Sumiyoshi, T.; Tabata, M.; Yonenaga, M.; Yusa, Y.

2017-12-01

We have developed a RICH counter as a new forward particle identification device for the Belle II experiment. As a Cherenkov radiator in this counter, a dual aerogel layer combination consisting of two refractive indicies, n=1.045 and 1.055, is employed. Mass production of these aerogel tiles has been done during 2013-2014 with new method improved by Chiba group. Optical qualities for them have been examined. The refractive indices of the obtained tiles were found to be in good agreement with our expectations, and the transparencies were high enough to be used for the RICH radiator.

Nanoporous Cu-C composites based on carbon-nanotube aerogels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Charnvanichborikarn, S.; Shin, S. J.; Worsley, M. A.; Tran, I. C.; Willey, T. M.; van Buuren, T.; Felter, T. E.; Colvin, J. D.; Kucheyev, S. O. [LLNL; (Sandia)

2013-11-22

Current synthesis methods of nanoporous Cu–C composites offer limited control of the material composition, structure, and properties, particularly for large Cu loadings of ≳20 wt%. Here, we describe two related approaches to realize novel nanoporous Cu–C composites based on the templating of recently developed carbon-nanotube aerogels (CNT-CAs). Our first approach involves the trapping of Cu nanoparticles while CNT-CAs undergo gelation. This method yields nanofoams with relatively high densities of ≳65 mg cm^-3 for Cu loadings of ≳10 wt%. Our second approach overcomes this limitation by filling the pores of undoped CNT-CA monoliths with an aqueous solution of CuSO₄ followed by (i) freeze-drying to remove water and (ii) thermal decomposition of CuSO₄. With this approach, we demonstrate Cu–C composites with a C matrix density of -25 mg cm^-3 and Cu loadings of up to 70 wt%. These versatile methods could be extended to fabricate other nanoporous metal–carbon composite materials geared for specific applications.

Surface Plasmon Resonance Evaluation of Colloidal Metal Aerogel Filters

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David D.; Sibille, Laurent; Cronise, Raymond J.; Noever, David A.

1997-01-01

We have fabricated aerogels containing gold, silver, and platinum nanoparticles for gas catalysis applications. By applying the concept of an average or effective dielectric constant to the heterogeneous interlayer surrounding each particle, we extend the technique of immersion spectroscopy to porous or heterogeneous media. Specifically, we apply the predominant effective medium theories for the determination of the average fractional composition of each component in this inhomogeneous layer. Hence, the surface area of metal available for catalytic gas reaction is determined. The technique is satisfactory for statistically random metal particle distributions but needs further modification for aggregated or surfactant modified systems. Additionally, the kinetics suggest that collective particle interactions in coagulated clusters are perturbed during silica gelation resulting in a change in the aggregate geometry.

Synthesis of Fe3O4 cluster microspheres/graphene aerogels composite as anode for high-performance lithium ion battery

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shuai; Zhou, Yu; Jiang, Wei; Guo, Huajun; Wang, Zhixing; Li, Xinhai

2018-05-01

Iron oxides are considered as attractive electrode materials because of their capability of lithium storage, but their poor conductivity and large volume expansion lead to unsatisfactory cycling stability. We designed and synthesized a novel Fe3O4 cluster microspheres/Graphene aerogels composite (Fe3O4/GAs), where Fe3O4 nanoparticles were assembled into cluster microspheres and then embedded in 3D graphene aerogels framework. In the spheres, the sufficient free space between Fe3O4 nanoparticles could accommodate the volume change during cycling process. Graphene aerogel works as flexible and conductive matrix, which can not only significantly increase the mechanical stress, but also further improve the storage properties. The Fe3O4/GAs composite as an anode material exhibits high reversible capability and excellent cyclic capacity for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). A reversible capability of 650 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at a current density of 1 A g-1 can be maintained. The superior storage capabilities of the composites make them potential anode materials for LIBs.

Capillary Condensation of Liquid 4He in Aerogel on Cooling Through λ Point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyashita, W.; Yoneyama, K.; Kato, H.; Nomura, R.; Okuda, Y.

2006-01-01

Capillary condensation of liquid 4He in silica aerogel with a 90% porosity was investigated visually. The initial condition of the experiment was such that liquid 4He was present in the sample cell but not in the aerogel. This situation was realized by introducing the liquid into the cell at a fast rate to avoid liquefaction in the aerogel. The free surface of the liquid rose up in the cell with filling and eventually reached the bottom of the aerogel. Then, the aerogel absorbed the liquid by capillary condensation. The height of the liquid in the aerogel rose with time t roughly as t1/2 in the normal fluid phase. This behavior was consistent with the Washburn model. When the system was cooled through the λ point during the condensation, the liquid height started to rise faster in the superfluid phase with a constant velocity of about 0.3 mm/sec. The dynamics of capillary condensation was strongly dependent on whether the liquid 4He was in the normal or the superfluid phase

Novel thermally stable poly(vinyl chloride) composites for sulfate removal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nadagouda, Mallikarjuna N., E-mail: Nadagouda.mallikarjuna@epa.gov [Water Supply and Water Resources Division, National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 (United States); Pressman, Jonathan; White, Colin; Speth, Thomas F.; McCurry, Daniel L. [Water Supply and Water Resources Division, National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 (United States)

2011-04-15

Graphical abstract: Barium carbonate and/or barium carbonate-loaded silica aero-gels dispersed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites were prepared by dissolving PVC in tetrahydrofuran (THF), dispersing BaCO{sub 3} and/or BaCO{sub 3}-loaded silica aero-gels, re-precipitating the PVC with water at room temperature. The PVC composites were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The obtained composites had better thermal properties than the control PVC. The composites were tested for sulfate removal and found to significantly reduce sulfate when compared with control PVC. - Abstract: BaCO{sub 3} dispersed PVC composites were prepared through a polymer re-precipitation method. The composites were tested for sulfate removal using rapid small scale column test (RSSCT) and found to significantly reduce sulfate concentration. The method was extended to synthesize barium carbonate-loaded silica aero-gels-polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer composites. The PVC composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The method has advantages over conventional sulfate precipitation (sulfate removal process) using BaCO{sub 3} wherein clogging of the filter can be avoided. The method is environmentally friendly and does not interfere with natural organic matter as the conventional resin does. Some of the composites were thermally more stable as compared with the pure PVC discussed in the literature.

Novel thermally stable poly(vinyl chloride) composites for sulfate removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadagouda, Mallikarjuna N.; Pressman, Jonathan; White, Colin; Speth, Thomas F.; McCurry, Daniel L.

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Barium carbonate and/or barium carbonate-loaded silica aero-gels dispersed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites were prepared by dissolving PVC in tetrahydrofuran (THF), dispersing BaCO 3 and/or BaCO 3 -loaded silica aero-gels, re-precipitating the PVC with water at room temperature. The PVC composites were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The obtained composites had better thermal properties than the control PVC. The composites were tested for sulfate removal and found to significantly reduce sulfate when compared with control PVC. - Abstract: BaCO 3 dispersed PVC composites were prepared through a polymer re-precipitation method. The composites were tested for sulfate removal using rapid small scale column test (RSSCT) and found to significantly reduce sulfate concentration. The method was extended to synthesize barium carbonate-loaded silica aero-gels-polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer composites. The PVC composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The method has advantages over conventional sulfate precipitation (sulfate removal process) using BaCO 3 wherein clogging of the filter can be avoided. The method is environmentally friendly and does not interfere with natural organic matter as the conventional resin does. Some of the composites were thermally more stable as compared with the pure PVC discussed in the literature.

Co-Fe-Si Aerogel Catalytic Honeycombs for Low Temperature Ethanol Steam Reforming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montserrat Domínguez

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Cobalt talc doped with iron (Fe/Co~0.1 and dispersed in SiO2 aerogel was prepared from silica alcogel impregnated with metal nitrates by supercritical drying. Catalytic honeycombs were prepared following the same procedure, with the alcogel synthesized directly over cordierite honeycomb pieces. The composite aerogel catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, focus ion beam, specific surface area and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The catalytic layer is about 8 µm thick and adheres well to the cordierite support. It is constituted of talc layers of about 1.5 µm × 300 nm × 50 nm which are well dispersed and anchored in a SiO2 aerogel matrix with excellent mass-transfer properties. The catalyst was tested in the ethanol steam reforming reaction, aimed at producing hydrogen for on-board, on-demand applications at moderate temperature (573–673 K and pressure (1–7 bar. Compared to non-promoted cobalt talc, the catalyst doped with iron produces less methane as byproduct, which can only be reformed at high temperature, thereby resulting in higher hydrogen yields. At 673 K and 2 bar, 1.04 NLH2·mLEtOH(l−1·min−1 are obtained at S/C = 3 and W/F = 390 g·min·molEtOH−1.

Rice Husk Ash as a Renewable Source for the Production of Value Added Silica Gel and its Application: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Prasad

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, silica gels have developed a lot of interest due to their extraordinary properties and their existing and potential applications in science and technology. Silica gel has a wide range of applications such as a desiccant, as a preservation tool to control humidity, as an adsorbent, as a catalyst and as a cata-lyst support. Silica gel is a rigid three-dimensional network of colloidal silica, and is classified as: aqua-gel, alco-gel, xero-gel and aero-gel. Out of all known solid porous materials, aero-gels are particularly known for their high specific surface area, high porosity, low bulk density, high thermal insulation value, ultra low dielectric constant and low index of refraction. Because of these extraordinary properties silica aero-gel has many commercial applications such as thermal window insulation, acoustic barriers, super-capacitors and catalytic supports. However, monolithic silica aero-gel has been used extensively in high energy physics in Cherenkov radiation detectors and in shock wave studies at high pressures, inertial confinement fusion (ICF radio-luminescent and micrometeorites. Silica gel can be prepared by using various sol gel precursors but the rice husk (RH is considered as the cheapest source for silica gel production. Rice husk is a waste product abundantly available in rice producing countries during milling of rice. This review article aims at summarizing the developments carried out so far in synthesis, properties, characterization and method of determination of silica, silica gel, silica aero-gel and silica xero-gel. The effect of synthesis parameters such as pH, temperature of burning the rice husk, acid leaching prior to formation of rice husk ash (RHA on the properties of final product are also described. The attention is also paid on the application of RH, RHA, sil-ica, silica aero-gel and silica xero-gel. Development of economically viable processes for getting rice husk silica with specific

Method for producing metal oxide aerogels having densities less than 0. 02 g/cc

Science.gov (United States)

Tillotson, T.M.; Poco, J.F.; Hrubesh, L.W.; Thomas, I.M.

1994-01-04

A two-step method is described for making transparent aerogels which have a density of less than 0.003 g/cm[sup 3] to those with a density of more than 0.8 g/cm[sup 3], by a sol/gel process and supercritical extraction. Condensed metal oxide intermediate made with purified reagents can be diluted to produce stable aerogels with a density of less than 0.02 g/cm[sup 3]. High temperature, direct supercritical extraction of the liquid phase of the gel produces hydrophobic aerogels which are stable at atmospheric moisture conditions. Monolithic, homogeneous silica aerogels with a density of less than 0.02 to higher than 0.8 g/cm[sup 3], with high thermal insulation capacity, improved mechanical strength and good optical transparency, are described. 7 figures.

Formation of Silica-Lysozyme Composites Through Co-Precipitation and Adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heuvel, Daniela B.; Stawski, Tomasz M.; Tobler, Dominique J.; Wirth, Richard; Peacock, Caroline L.; Benning, Liane G.

2018-04-01

Interactions between silica and proteins are crucial for the formation of biosilica and the production of novel functional hybrid materials for a range of industrial applications. The proteins control both precipitation pathway and the properties of the resulting silica-organic composites. Here we present data on the formation of silica-lysozyme composites through two different synthesis approaches (co-precipitation vs. adsorption) and show that the chemical and structural properties of these composites, when analyzed using a combination of synchrotron-based scattering (total scattering and SAXS), spectroscopic, electron microscopy and potentiometric methods vary dramatically. We document that while lysozyme was not incorporated into nor did its presence alter the molecular structure of silica, it strongly enhanced the aggregation of silica particles due to electrostatic and potentially hydrophobic interactions, leading to the formation of composites with characteristics differing from pure silica. The differences increased with increasing lysozyme content for both synthesis approaches. Yet, the absolute changes differ substantially between the two sets of composites, as lysozyme did not just affect aggregation during co-precipitation but also particle growth and likely polymerization during co-precipitation. Our results improve the fundamental understanding of how organic macromolecules interact with dissolved and nanoparticulate silica and how these interactions control the formation pathway of silica-organic composites from sodium silicate solutions, a widely available and cheap starting material.

Aerogel-Based Insulation for High-Temperature Industrial Processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Owen Evans

2011-10-13

Under this program, Aspen Aerogels has developed an industrial insulation called Pyrogel HT, which is 4-5 times more thermally efficient than current non-aerogel technology. Derived from nanoporous silica aerogels, Pyrogel HT was specifically developed to address a high temperature capability gap not currently met with Aspen Aerogels{trademark} flagship product, Pyrogel XT. Pyrogel XT, which was originally developed on a separate DOE contract (DE-FG36-06GO16056), was primarily optimized for use in industrial steam processing systems, where application temperatures typically do not exceed 400 C. At the time, further improvements in thermal performance above 400 C could not be reasonably achieved for Pyrogel XT without significantly affecting other key material properties using the current technology. Cumulative sales of Pyrogel HT into domestic power plants should reach $125MM through 2030, eventually reaching about 10% of the total insulation market share in that space. Global energy savings would be expected to scale similarly. Over the same period, these sales would reduce domestic energy consumption by more than 65 TBtu. Upon branching out into all industrial processes in the 400 C-650 C regime, Pyrogel HT would reach annual sales levels of $150MM, with two-thirds of that being exported.

Sorption Properties of Aerogel in Liquid Nitrogen

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Wesley L.

2006-01-01

Aerogel products are now available as insulation materials of the future. The Cryogenics Test Laboratory at the NASA Kennedy Space Center is developing aerogel-based thermal insulation systems for space launch applications. Aerogel beads (Cabot Nanogel ) and aerogel blankets (Aspen Aerogels Spaceloft ) have outstanding ambient pressure thermal performance that makes them useful for applications where sealing is not possible. Aerogel beads are open-celled silicone dioxide and have tiny pores that run throughout the body of the bead. It has also recently been discovered that aerogel beads can be used as a filtering device for aqueous compounds at room temperature. With their hydrophobic covering, the beads absorb any non-polar substance and they can be chemically altered to absorb hot gases. The combination of the absorption and cryogenic insulating properties of aerogel beads have never been studied together. For future cryogenic insulation applications, it is crucial to know how the beads react while immersed in cryogenic liquids, most notably liquid nitrogen. Aerogel beads in loose-fill situation and aerogel blankets with composite fiber structure have been tested for absorption properties. Depending on the type of aerogel used and the preparation, preliminary results show the material can absorb up to seven times its own weight of liquid nitrogen, corresponding to a volumetric ratio of 0.70 (unit volume nitrogen per unit volume aerogel). These tests allow for an estimate on how much insulation is needed in certain situations. The theory behind the different processes of sorption is necessary for a better understanding of the preparation of the beads before they are used in an insulation system.

In situ-growth of silica nanowires in ceramic carbon composites

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Rahul Kumar

2017-09-01

Full Text Available An understanding of the processing and microstructure of ceramic–carbon composites is critical to development of these composites for applications needing electrically conducting, thermal shock resistant ceramic materials. In the present study green compacts of carbon ceramic composites were prepared either by slurry processing or dry powder blending of one or more of the three — clay, glass, alumina and carbon black or graphite. The dried green compacts were sintered at 1400 °C in flowing argon. The ceramic carbon composites except the ones without clay addition showed formation of silica nanowires. The silica nanowire formation was observed in both samples prepared by slip casting and dry powder compaction containing either carbon black or graphite. TEM micrographs showed presence of carbon at the core of the silica nanowires indicating that carbon served the role of a catalyst. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED suggested that the silica nanowires are amorphous. Prior studies have reported formation of silica nanowires from silicon, silica, silicon carbide but this is the first report ever on formation of silica nanowires from clay.

Sol-gel Derived Warfarin - Silica Composites for Controlled Drug Release.

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Dolinina, Ekaterina S; Parfenyuk, Elena V

2017-01-01

Warfarin, commonly used anticoagulant in clinic, has serious shortcomings due to its unsatisfactory pharmacodynamics. One of the efficient ways for the improvement of pharmacological and consumer properties of drugs is the development of optimal drug delivery systems. The aim of this work is to synthesize novel warfarin - silica composites and to study in vitro the drug release kinetics to obtain the composites with controlled release. The composites of warfarin with unmodified (UMS) and mercaptopropyl modified silica (MPMS) were synthesized by sol-gel method. The composite formation was confirmed by FTIR spectra. The concentrations of warfarin released to media with pH 1.6, 6.8 and 7.4 were measured using UV spectroscopy. The drug release profiles from the solid composites were described by a series of kinetic models which includes zero order kinetics, first order kinetics, the modified Korsmeyer-Peppas model and Hixson-Crowell model. The synthesized sol-gel composites have different kinetic behavior in the studied media. In contrast to the warfarin composite with unmodified silica, the drug release from the composite with mercaptopropyl modified silica follows zero order kinetics for 24 h irrespective to the release medium pH due to mixed mechanism (duffusion + degradation and/or disintegration of silica matrix). The obtained results showed that warfarin - silica sol-gel composites have a potential application for the development of novel oral formulation of the drug with controlled delivery. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Mesoporous MnO2/carbon aerogel composites as promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

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Li, Gao-Ren; Feng, Zhan-Ping; Ou, Yan-Nan; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen; Tong, Ye-Xiang

2010-02-16

MnO(2) as one of the most promising candidates for electrochemical supercapacitors has attracted much attention because of its superior electrochemical performance, low cost, and environmentally benign nature. In this Letter, we explored a novel route to prepare mesoporous MnO(2)/carbon aerogel composites by electrochemical deposition assisted by gas bubbles. The products were characterized by energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The MnO(2) deposits are found to have high purity and have a mesoporous structure that will optimize the electronic and ionic conductivity to minimize the total resistance of the system and thereby maximize the performance characteristics of this material for use in supercapacitor electrodes. The results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments and electrochemical measurements showed that these obtained mesoporous MnO(2)/carbon aerogel composites had a large specific surface area (120 m(2)/g), uniform pore-size distribution (around 5 nm), high specific capacitance (515.5 F/g), and good stability over 1000 cycles, which give these composites potential application as high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

Mechanically Strong, Polymer Cross-linked Aerogels (X-Aerogels)

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Leventis, Nicholas

2006-01-01

Aerogels comprise a class of low-density, high porous solid objects consisting of dimensionally quasi-stable self-supported three-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles. Aerogels are pursued because of properties above and beyond those of the individual nanoparticles, including low thermal conductivity, low dielectric constant and high acoustic impedance. Possible applications include thermal and vibration insulation, dielectrics for fast electronics, and hosting of functional guests for a wide variety of optical, chemical and electronic applications. Aerogels, however, are extremely fragile materials, hence they have found only limited application in some very specialized environments, for example as Cerenkov radiation detectors in certain types of nuclear reactors, aboard spacecraft as collectors of hypervelocity particles (refer to NASA's Stardust program) and as thermal insulators on planetary vehicles on Mars (refer to Sojourner Rover in 1997 and Spirit and Opportunity in 2004). Along these lines, the X-Aerogel is a new NASA-developed strong lightweight material that has resolved the fragility problem of traditional (native) aerogels. X-Aerogels are made by applying a conformal polymer coating on the surfaces of the skeletal nanoparticles of native aerogels (see Scanning Electron Micrographs). Since the relative amounts of the polymeric crosslinker and the backbone are comparable, X-Aerogels can be viewed either as aerogels modified by the templated accumulation of polymer on the skeletal nanoparticles, or as nanoporous polymers made by remplated casting of polymer on a nanostructured framework. The most striking feature of X-Aerogels is that for a nominal 3-fold increase in density (still a ultralighweight material), the mechanical strength can be up to 300 times higher than the strength of the underlying native aerogel. Thus, X-Aerogels combine a multiple of the specific compressive strength of steel, with the the thermal conductivity of styrofoam. X-Aerogels

A Special Material or a New State of Matter: A Review and Reconsideration of the Aerogel

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Jun Shen

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The ultrahighly nanoporous aerogel is recognized as a state of matter rather than as a functional material, because of its qualitative differences in bulk properties, transitional density and enthalpy between liquid and gas, and diverse chemical compositions. In this review, the characteristics, classification, history and preparation of the aerogel were introduced. More attention was paid to the sol-gel method for preparing different kinds of aerogels, given its important role on bridging the synthetic parameters with the properties. At last, preparation of a novel single-component aerogel, design of a composite aerogel and industrial application of the aerogel were regarded as the research tendency of the aerogel state in the near future.

An emerging platform for drug delivery: aerogel based systems.

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Ulker, Zeynep; Erkey, Can

2014-03-10

Over the past few decades, advances in "aerogel science" have provoked an increasing interest for these materials in pharmaceutical sciences for drug delivery applications. Because of their high surface areas, high porosities and open pore structures which can be tuned and controlled by manipulation of synthesis conditions, nanostructured aerogels represent a promising class of materials for delivery of various drugs as well as enzymes and proteins. Along with biocompatible inorganic aerogels and biodegradable organic aerogels, more complex systems such as surface functionalized aerogels, composite aerogels and layered aerogels have also been under development and possess huge potential. Emphasis is given to the details of the aerogel synthesis and drug loading methods as well as the influence of synthesis parameters and loading methods on the adsorption and release of the drugs. Owing to their ability to increase the bioavailability of low solubility drugs, to improve both their stability and their release kinetics, there are an increasing number of research articles concerning aerogels in different drug delivery applications. This review presents an up to date overview of the advances in all kinds of aerogel based drug delivery systems which are currently under investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superinsulating Polyisocyanate Based Aerogels: A Targeted Search for the Optimum Solvent System.

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Zhu, Zhiyuan; Snellings, Geert M B F; Koebel, Matthias M; Malfait, Wim J

2017-05-31

Polyisocyanate based aerogels combine ultralow thermal conductivities with better mechanical properties than silica aerogel, but these properties critically depend on the nature of the gelation solvent, perhaps more so than on any other parameter. Here, we present a systematic study of the relationship between the polyurethane-polyisocyanurate (PUR-PIR) aerogel microstructure, surface area, thermal conductivity, and density and the gelation solvent's Hansen solubility parameters for an industrially relevant PUR-PIR rigid foam formulation. We first investigated aerogels prepared in acetone-dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) blends and observed a minimum in thermal conductivity (λ) and maximum in specific surface area for an acetone:DMSO ratio of 85:15 v/v. We then prepared PUR-PIR aerogels in 32 different solvent blends, divided into three series with δ Dispersion , δ Polarity , and δ H-bonding fixed at 15.94, 11.30, and 7.48 MPa 1/2 , respectively, corresponding to the optimum parameters for the acetone:DMSO series. The aerogel properties display distinct dependencies on the various solubility parameters: aerogels with low thermal conductivity can be synthesized in solvents with a high δ H-bonding parameter (above 7.2) and δ Dispersion around 16.3 MPa 1/2 . In contrast, the δ Polarity parameter is of lesser importance. Our study highlights the importance of the gelation solvent, clarifies the influence of the different solvent properties, and provides a methodology for a targeted search across the solvent chemical space based on the Hansen solubility parameters.

Superior microwave absorption properties of ultralight reduced graphene oxide/black phosphorus aerogel

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Hao, Chunxue; Wang, Bochong; Wen, Fusheng; Mu, Congpu; Xiang, Jianyong; Li, Lei; Liu, Zhongyuan

2018-06-01

Through a facile self-assembled process, an ultralight reduced graphene oxide/black phosphorus (rGO/BP) composite aerogel was successfully fabricated. The BP nanosheets were homogeneously distributed throughout the rGO 3D framework, and the interfaces between rGO and BP possessed four kinds of interconnections, such as wrapping, wearing, bridging and weak linking. As an ultralight composite, the rGO/BP aerogel could easily stand on the stamen of a flower. Compared with pure rGO aerogel, the rGO/BP composite aerogel exhibited enhanced microwave absorption ability. The minimum reflection loss value of ‑46.9 dB with a thickness of 2.53 mm was obtained, and a wide absorption band of 6.1 GHz (RL < ‑10 dB) was achieved. The superior microwave absorption property was demonstrated to stem from the interfacial polarization loss mechanism in which the multiform interface interactions between the rGO skeleton and BP nanosheets played critical roles. The rGO/BP aerogel has great potential to be used as an ultralight microwave absorber.

Aerogels in Chemical Engineering: Strategies Toward Tailor-Made Aerogels.

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Smirnova, Irina; Gurikov, Pavel

2017-06-07

The present review deals with recent advances in the rapidly growing field of aerogel research and technology. The major focus of the review lies in approaches that allow tailoring of aerogel properties to meet application-driven requirements. The decisive properties of aerogels are discussed with regard to existing and potential application areas. Various tailoring strategies, such as modulation of the pore structure, coating, surface modification, and post-treatment, are illustrated by results of the last decade. In view of commercialization of aerogel-based products, a panorama of current industrial aerogel suppliers is given, along with a discussion of possible alternative sources for raw materials and precursors. Finally, growing points and perspectives of the aerogel field are summarized.

Chemical modification of graphene aerogels for electrochemical capacitor applications.

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Hong, Jin-Yong; Wie, Jeong Jae; Xu, Yu; Park, Ho Seok

2015-12-14

Graphene aerogel is a relatively new type of aerogel that is ideal for energy storage applications because of its large surface area, high electrical conductivity and good chemical stability. Also, three dimensional interconnected macropores offer many advantages such as low density, fast ion and mass transfer, and easy access to storage sites. Such features allow graphene aerogels to be intensively applied for electrochemical capacitor applications. Despite the growing interest in graphene aerogel-based electrochemical capacitors, however, the graphene aerogels still suffer from their low capacitive performances and high fragility. Both relatively low capacitance and brittleness of physically crosslinked graphene aerogels remain a critical challenge. Until now, a number of alternative attempts have been devoted to overcome these shortcomings. In this perspective, we summarize the recent research progress towards the development of advanced graphene aerogel-based electrochemical capacitors according to the different approaches (e.g. porosity, composition and structure controls). Then, the recently proposed chemical strategies to improve the capacitive performances and mechanical durability of graphene aerogels for practical applications are highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and perspectives in this emerging material are also discussed.

Synthesis of ZnO-CuO Nanocomposite Aerogels by the Sol-Gel Route

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Rula M. Allaf

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The epoxide addition sol-gel method has been utilized to synthesize porous zinc-copper composite aerogels in the zinc-to-copper molar ratios of 50 : 50 to 90 : 10. A two-step mixing approach has been employed to produce aerogels composed of nano- to micrometer sized particles. The aerogels were characterized by ultrahigh resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The as-synthesized aerogels had a thin flake- or petal-like microstructure comprised of clustered flakes on two size scales; they were identified as being crystalline with the crystalline species identified as copper nitrate hydroxide, zinc hydroxide chloride hydrate, and zinc hydroxide nitrate hydrate. Annealing of the aerogel materials at a relatively low temperature (400°C resulted in a complete phase transition of the material to give highly crystalline ZnO-CuO aerogels; the aerogels consisted of networked nanoparticles in the ~25–550 nm size range with an average crystallite size of ~3 nm and average crystallinity of 98%. ZnO-CuO aerogels are of particular interest due to their particular catalytic and sensing properties. This work emphasizes the versatility of this sol-gel route in synthesizing aerogels; this method offers a possible route for the fabrication of aerogels of different metal oxides and their composites.

Carbon aerogel electrodes for direct energy conversion

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Mayer, Steven T.; Kaschmitter, James L.; Pekala, Richard W.

1997-01-01

A direct energy conversion device, such as a fuel cell, using carbon aerogel electrodes, wherein the carbon aerogel is loaded with a noble catalyst, such as platinum or rhodium and soaked with phosphoric acid, for example. A separator is located between the electrodes, which are placed in a cylinder having plate current collectors positioned adjacent the electrodes and connected to a power supply, and a pair of gas manifolds, containing hydrogen and oxygen positioned adjacent the current collectors. Due to the high surface area and excellent electrical conductivity of carbon aerogels, the problems relative to high polarization resistance of carbon composite electrodes conventionally used in fuel cells are overcome.

Few-layer MoS2-anchored graphene aerogel paper for free-standing electrode materials.

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Lee, Wee Siang Vincent; Peng, Erwin; Loh, Tamie Ai Jia; Huang, Xiaolei; Xue, Jun Min

2016-04-21

To reduce the reliance on polymeric binders, conductive additives, and metallic current collectors during the electrode preparation process, as well as to assess the true performance of lithium ion battery (LIB) anodes, a free-standing electrode has to be meticulously designed. Graphene aerogel is a popular scaffolding material that has been widely used with embedded nanoparticles for application in LIB anodes. However, the current graphene aerogel/nanoparticle composite systems still involve decomposition into powder and the addition of additives during electrode preparation because of the thick aerogel structure. To further enhance the capacity of the system, MoS2 was anchored onto a graphene aerogel paper and the composite was used directly as an LIB anode. The resultant additive-free MoS2/graphene aerogel paper composite exhibited long cyclic performance with 101.1% retention after 700 cycles, which demonstrates the importance of free-standing electrodes in enhancing cyclic stability.

Synthesis of Silica Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel: Size-Dependent Properties, Surface Modification, and Applications in Silica-Polymer Nano composites-A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, A.R.; Vejayakumaran, P.

2012-01-01

Application of silica nanoparticles as fillers in the preparation of nano composite of polymers has drawn much attention, due to the increased demand for new materials with improved thermal, mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Recent developments in the synthesis of monodispersed, narrow-size distribution of nanoparticles by sol-gel method provide significant boost to development of silica-polymer nano composites. This paper is written by emphasizing on the synthesis of silica nanoparticles, characterization on size-dependent properties, and surface modification for the preparation of homogeneous nano composites, generally by sol-gel technique. The effect of nano silica on the properties of various types of silica-polymer composites is also summarized.

Carbon aerogels; Les aerogels de carbone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berthon-Fabry, S.; Achard, P

2003-06-15

The carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material at open porosity, electrical conductor. The aerogels morphology is variable in function of the different synthesis parameters. This characteristic offers to the aerogels a better adaptability to many applications: electrodes (super condensers, fuel cells). The author presents the materials elaboration and their applications. It provides also the research programs: fundamental research, realization of super-condenser electrodes, fuel cells electrodes, gas storage materials and opaque materials for thermal insulation. (A.L.B.)

Ambient Dried Aerogels

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Jones, Steven M.; Paik, Jong-Ah

2013-01-01

A method has been developed for creating aerogel using normal pressure and ambient temperatures. All spacecraft, satellites, and landers require the use of thermal insulation due to the extreme environments encountered in space and on extraterrestrial bodies. Ambient dried aerogels introduce the possibility of using aerogel as thermal insulation in a wide variety of instances where supercritically dried aerogels cannot be used. More specifically, thermoelectric devices can use ambient dried aerogel, where the advantages are in situ production using the cast-in ability of an aerogel. Previously, aerogels required supercritical conditions (high temperature and high pressure) to be dried. Ambient dried aerogels can be dried at room temperature and pressure. This allows many materials, such as plastics and certain metal alloys that cannot survive supercritical conditions, to be directly immersed in liquid aerogel precursor and then encapsulated in the final, dried aerogel. Additionally, the metalized Mylar films that could not survive the previous methods of making aerogels can survive the ambient drying technique, thus making multilayer insulation (MLI) materials possible. This results in lighter insulation material as well. Because this innovation does not require high-temperature or high-pressure drying, ambient dried aerogels are much less expensive to produce. The equipment needed to conduct supercritical drying costs many tens of thousands of dollars, and has associated running expenses for power, pressurized gasses, and maintenance. The ambient drying process also expands the size of the pieces of aerogel that can be made because a high-temperature, high-pressure system typically has internal dimensions of up to 30 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height. In the case of this innovation, the only limitation on the size of the aerogels produced would be in the ability of the solvent in the wet gel to escape from the gel network.

Densification and Strengthening of Aerogels by Sintering Heat Treatments or Plastic Compression

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Thierry Woignier

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Due to their broad range of porosity, aerogels are suited to various applications. The advantages of a broad range of porosity are used directly, for example, in thermal and acoustic insulation, as materials for space applications or in catalysers. However, an overly high pore volume can also be a drawback, for example, in a glass precursor and host matrix. Fortunately, aerogel porosity can be tailored using sintering or isostatic compression. Sets of silica aerogels—sintered and compressed aerogels—have been studied with the objective of comparing these different densification mechanisms. We focus on the mechanical changes during the two processes of densification.

Efficiently dense hierarchical graphene based aerogel electrode for supercapacitors

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Wang, Xin; Lu, Chengxing; Peng, Huifen; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Zhenkun; Wang, Gongkai

2016-08-01

Boosting gravimetric and volumetric capacitances simultaneously at a high rate is still a discrepancy in development of graphene based supercapacitors. We report the preparation of dense hierarchical graphene/activated carbon composite aerogels via a reduction induced self-assembly process coupled with a drying post treatment. The compact and porous structures of composite aerogels could be maintained. The drying post treatment has significant effects on increasing the packing density of aerogels. The introduced activated carbons play the key roles of spacers and bridges, mitigating the restacking of adjacent graphene nanosheets and connecting lateral and vertical graphene nanosheets, respectively. The optimized aerogel with a packing density of 0.67 g cm-3 could deliver maximum gravimetric and volumetric capacitances of 128.2 F g-1 and 85.9 F cm-3, respectively, at a current density of 1 A g-1 in aqueous electrolyte, showing no apparent degradation to the specific capacitance at a current density of 10 A g-1 after 20000 cycles. The corresponding gravimetric and volumetric capacitances of 116.6 F g-1 and 78.1 cm-3 with an acceptable cyclic stability are also achieved in ionic liquid electrolyte. The results show a feasible strategy of designing dense hierarchical graphene based aerogels for supercapacitors.

Formation of Silica-Lysozyme Composites Through Co-Precipitation and Adsorption

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Daniela B. van den Heuvel

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Interactions between silica and proteins are crucial for the formation of biosilica and the production of novel functional hybrid materials for a range of industrial applications. The proteins control both precipitation pathway and the properties of the resulting silica–organic composites. Here, we present data on the formation of silica–lysozyme composites through two different synthesis approaches (co-precipitation vs. adsorption and show that the chemical and structural properties of these composites, when analyzed using a combination of synchrotron-based scattering (total scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering, spectroscopic, electron microscopy, and potentiometric methods vary dramatically. We document that while lysozyme was not incorporated into nor did its presence alter the molecular structure of silica, it strongly enhanced the aggregation of silica particles due to electrostatic and potentially hydrophobic interactions, leading to the formation of composites with characteristics differing from pure silica. The differences increased with increasing lysozyme content for both synthesis approaches. Yet, the absolute changes differ substantially between the two sets of composites, as lysozyme did not just affect aggregation during co-precipitation but also particle growth and likely polymerization during co-precipitation. Our results improve the fundamental understanding of how organic macromolecules interact with dissolved and nanoparticulate silica and how these interactions control the formation pathway of silica–organic composites from sodium silicate solutions, a widely available and cheap starting material.

Biodiesel synthesis using K2CO3/Al–O–Si aerogel catalysts

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IVANA LUKIĆ

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, catalysts for fatty acid methyl esters (FAME or bio-diesel synthesis with K2CO3 as the active component on an alumina/silica support were synthesized using the sol–gel method, which was followed by drying the “dense” wet gels with supercritical carbon dioxide to obtain the aerogels. The prepared catalysts were characterized by XRD analysis, FTIR spectroscopy and N2 physisorption at 77 K, and tested in the methanolysis of sunflower oil. The effects of reaction variables, such as reaction time, temperature and methanol to oil molar ratio, on the yield of FAME were investigated. The aerogel catalysts with K2CO3 as the active component on an alumina/silica support exhibited good activity in the methanolysis of sunflower oil. The leaching of potassium when the catalyst was in contact with pure methanol under the working conditions of methanolysis was also tested in this study, indicating that it occurred only at higher temperatures, while at lower ones, it was negligible.

The Relation between the Rheological Properties of Gels and the Mechanical Properties of Their Corresponding Aerogels

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Mingze Sun

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A series of low density, highly porous clay/poly(vinyl alcohol composite aerogels, incorporating ammonium alginate, were fabricated via a convenient and eco-friendly freeze drying method. It is significant to understand rheological properties of precursor gels because they directly affect the form of aerogels and their processing behaviors. The introduction of ammonium alginate impacted the rheological properties of colloidal gels and improved the mechanical performance of the subject aerogels. The specific compositions and processing conditions applied to those colloidal gel systems brought about different aerogel morphologies, which in turn translated into the observed mechanical properties. The bridge between gel rheologies and aerogel structures are established in the present work.

PREPARATION OF MESOPOROUS TITANIA-SILICA AEROGELS BY CO2 SUPERCRITICAL EXTRACTION

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Silvester Tursiloadi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Stable anatase is attractive because of its notable functions for photocatalysis and photon-electron transfer.  TiO2-nanoparticles dispersed SiO2 wet gels were prepared by hydrolysis of Ti(OC4H9n4 and Si(OC2H54 in a 2-propanol solution with acid catalyst.  The solvent in the wet gels was supercritically extracted using CO2 at 60 oC and 22 Mpa in one-step.  Thermal evolution of the microstructure of the extracted gels (aerogels was evaluated by XRD measurements, TEM and N2 adsorption measurements. The as-extracted aerogel with a large specific surface area, more than 365 m2g-1, contained anatase nanoparticles, about 5 nm in diameter.  The anatase phase was stable after calcinations at temperatures up to 1000 oC, and BET specific surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter did not change significantly after calcinations at temperature up to 800 oC.   Keywords: Stable anatase, sol-gel, CO2 supercritical extraction.

Interfacial interaction between the epoxidized natural rubber and silica in natural rubber/silica composites

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Xu, Tiwen; Jia, Zhixin; Luo, Yuanfang; Jia, Demin; Peng, Zheng

2015-02-01

The epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) as an interfacial modifier was used to improve the mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of NR/silica composites. In order to reveal the interaction mechanism between ENR and silica, the ENR/Silica model compound was prepared by using an open mill and the interfacial interaction of ENR with silica was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and stress-strain testing. The results indicated that the ring-opening reaction occurs between the epoxy groups of ENR chains and Si-OH groups on the silica surfaces and the covalent bonds are formed between two phases, which can improve the dispersion of silica in the rubber matrix and enhance the interfacial combination between rubber and silica. The ring-opening reaction occurs not only in vulcanization process but also in mixing process, meanwhile, the latter seems to be more important due to the simultaneous effects of mechanical force and temperature.

Parametric Analysis to Study the Influence of Aerogel-Based Renders' Components on Thermal and Mechanical Performance.

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Ximenes, Sofia; Silva, Ana; Soares, António; Flores-Colen, Inês; de Brito, Jorge

2016-05-04

Statistical models using multiple linear regression are some of the most widely used methods to study the influence of independent variables in a given phenomenon. This study's objective is to understand the influence of the various components of aerogel-based renders on their thermal and mechanical performance, namely cement (three types), fly ash, aerial lime, silica sand, expanded clay, type of aerogel, expanded cork granules, expanded perlite, air entrainers, resins (two types), and rheological agent. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), based on 85 mortar mixes produced in the laboratory and on their values of thermal conductivity and compressive strength obtained using tests in small-scale samples. The results showed that aerial lime assumes the main role in improving the thermal conductivity of the mortars. Aerogel type, fly ash, expanded perlite and air entrainers are also relevant components for a good thermal conductivity. Expanded clay can improve the mechanical behavior and aerogel has the opposite effect.

Parametric Analysis to Study the Influence of Aerogel-Based Renders’ Components on Thermal and Mechanical Performance

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Sofia Ximenes

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Statistical models using multiple linear regression are some of the most widely used methods to study the influence of independent variables in a given phenomenon. This study’s objective is to understand the influence of the various components of aerogel-based renders on their thermal and mechanical performance, namely cement (three types, fly ash, aerial lime, silica sand, expanded clay, type of aerogel, expanded cork granules, expanded perlite, air entrainers, resins (two types, and rheological agent. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, based on 85 mortar mixes produced in the laboratory and on their values of thermal conductivity and compressive strength obtained using tests in small-scale samples. The results showed that aerial lime assumes the main role in improving the thermal conductivity of the mortars. Aerogel type, fly ash, expanded perlite and air entrainers are also relevant components for a good thermal conductivity. Expanded clay can improve the mechanical behavior and aerogel has the opposite effect.

Optical sensing of triethylamine using CdSe aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Qinghong; Brock, Stephanie L

2010-01-01

The photoluminescence (PL) response of highly porous CdSe aerogels to triethylamine (TEA) is investigated and compared to results from prior studies on single crystals and nanoparticle-polymer composites. As-prepared CdSe aerogels show significant and reversible enhancement of luminescence intensity upon exposure to TEA relative to the intensity in pure argon carrier gas. The enhancement in the PL response is dependent on the concentration and linear over the range of TEA concentration studied (4.7 x 10 3 -75 x 10 3 ppm). The sensing response of previously tested samples exhibits saturation behavior that is modeled using Langmuir adsorption isotherms, yielding adsorption equilibrium constants in the range 300-380 atm -1 . The response is sensitively affected by the surface characteristics of the aerogel; when the wet gels are treated with pyridine prior to aerogel formation, the response to TEA is diminished, and when as-prepared aerogels are heated in a vacuum, no subsequent response is observed. Deactivation is attributed to an increase in surface oxide (SeO 2 ) and decrease in surface Cd 2+ Lewis acid sites. Sensing runs of approximately one hour have little impact on the morphology or crystallinity of the aerogels, but do result in partial removal of residual thiolate ligands left over from the gelation process.

A novel approach to fabrication of superparamagnetite hollow silica/magnetic composite spheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan Junjie, E-mail: yuanjunjie@tongji.edu.c [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Zhang Xiong; Qian He [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2010-08-15

We described a method for synthesizing hollow silica/magnetic composite spheres using sulfonic acid functionalized hollow silica spheres (SAFHSS) as templates. The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were deposited on or imbedded in the hollow silica shell by a precipitation reaction. The morphologies, composition and properties of the hollow composite spheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared analysis, X-ray diffraction measurement and vibrating-sample magnetometry measurement. The results indicated crystal sizes and amount of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles on the SAFHSS. The magnetic properties of the hollow composite spheres were controlled by adjusting the proportion between Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} and iron ion total concentration. When appropriate loading species were added into the system, superparamagnetite hollow composite spheres were obtained. The method also could be applicable to prepare other superparamagnetite hollow silica/ferrite composite spheres.

Da-KGM based GO-reinforced FMBO-loaded aerogels for efficient arsenic removal in aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Shuxin; Jin, Weiping; Huang, Qing; Hu, Ying; Li, Yan; Li, Jing; Li, Bin

2017-01-01

Composites based on deacetylated konjac glucomannan (Da-KGM) and graphene oxide (GO) aerogels with iron and manganese oxides (FMBO) for effective removal of arsenic from contaminated water. Da-KGM, which was used as supporting composite matrix here, were firstly treated with GO and loaded FMBO. The obtained Da-KGM/GO/FMBO composite aerogels were characterized by compression test, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The characteristic results showed that addition of GO exhibited enhanced mechanical properties towards Da-KGM aerogels. What's more, results of FTIR indicated the strong intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction between KGM and GO. Batch adsorption tests were used to evaluate arsenic removal capacity. Da-KGM/GO loaded FMBO composite aerogels exhibited high adsorption ability for arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)]. The adsorption results showed that the arsenic for both arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] removal process followed a pseudo-second-order rate equation and Langmuir monolayer adsorption. The maximum As(III) and As(V) uptake capacity of Da-KGM/GO(10%)/FMBO composite aerogels reached 30.21mgg -1 and 12.08mgg -1 respectively according to Langmuir isotherm at pH 7 and 323K. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of wrinkled mesoporous silica and its reinforcing effect for dental resin composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ruili; Habib, Eric; Zhu, X X

2017-10-01

The aim of this work is to explore the reinforcing effect of wrinkled mesoporous silica (WMS), which should allow micromechanical resin matrix/filler interlocking in dental resin composites, and to investigate the effect of silica morphology, loading, and compositions on their mechanical properties. WMS (average diameter of 496nm) was prepared through the self-assembly method and characterized by the use of the electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and the N 2 adsorption-desorption measurements. The mechanical properties of resin composites containing silanized WMS and nonporous smaller silica were evaluated with a universal mechanical testing machine. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy was used to study the fracture morphology of dental composites. Resin composites including silanized silica particles (average diameter of 507nm) served as the control group. Higher filler loading of silanized WMS substantially improved the mechanical properties of the neat resin matrix, over the composites loaded with regular silanized silica particles similar in size. The impregnation of smaller secondary silica particles with diameters of 90 and 190nm, denoted respectively as Si90 and Si190, increased the filler loading of the bimodal WMS filler (WMS-Si90 or WMS-Si190) to 60wt%, and the corresponding composites exhibited better mechanical properties than the control fillers made with regular silica particles. Among all composites, the optimal WMS-Si190- filled composite (mass ratio WMS:Si190=10:90, total filler loading 60wt%) exhibited the best mechanical performance including flexural strength, flexural modulus, compressive strength and Vickers microhardness. The incorporation of WMS and its mixed bimodal fillers with smaller silica particles led to the design and formulation of dental resin composites with superior mechanical properties. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reinforcement of natural rubber hybrid composites based on marble sludge/Silica and marble sludge/rice husk derived silica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalil Ahmed

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A research has been carried out to develop natural rubber (NR hybrid composites reinforced with marble sludge (MS/Silica and MS/rice husk derived silica (RHS. The primary aim of this development is to scrutinize the cure characteristics, mechanical and swelling properties of such hybrid composite. The use of both industrial and agricultural waste such as marble sludge and rice husk derived silica has the primary advantage of being eco-friendly, low cost and easily available as compared to other expensive fillers. The results from this study showed that the performance of NR hybrid composites with MS/Silica and MS/RHS as fillers is extremely better in mechanical and swelling properties as compared with the case where MS used as single filler. The study suggests that the use of recently developed silica and marble sludge as industrial and agricultural waste is accomplished to provide a probable cost effective, industrially prospective, and attractive replacement to the in general purpose used fillers like china clay, calcium carbonate, and talc.

Application of Super-Amphiphilic Silica-Nanogel Composites for Fast Removal of Water Pollutants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayman M. Atta

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This work first reports the preparation of super-amphiphilic silica-nanogel composites to reduce the contact angle of water to increase the diffusion of pollutant into adsorbents. In this respect, the silica nanoparticles were encapsulated into nanogels based on ionic and nonionic polyacrylamides by dispersion polymerization technique. The morphologies and the dispersion stability of nanogel composites were investigated to clarify the ability of silica-nanogel composites to adsorb at different interfaces. The feasibility of silica polyacrylamide nanogel composites to act as a high-performance adsorbent for removal of methylene blue (MB dye and heavy metals (Co2+ and Ni2+ from aqueous solution was investigated. The surface tension, contact angle, average pore size, and zeta potential of the silica-nanogel composites have been evaluated. The MB dye and heavy metal adsorption capacity achieved Qmax = 438–387 mg/g which is considerably high. The adsorption capacity results are explained from the changes in the morphology of the silica surfaces as recorded from scanning electron microscopy (SEM.

Effect of part replacement of silica sand with carbon black on composite properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adeosun, B.F.; Olaofe, O.

2003-01-01

We have reported the properties of natural rubber filled with locally available materials (Adu et al 2000). The effect of local clay, limestone, silica sand and charcoal on the properties of natural rubber has been examined. Results have shown detrimental effects of silica sand on the properties of natural rubber compound. It has been reported that when silica is used as a part for part replacement of carbon black, the heat build up the composite decreased whilst tear resistance improved. Results revealed that within the filler content range used in the present work, the hardness, modulus, and tensile strength of composites loaded with silica sand/carbon black showed enhanced magnitude over the composite loaded singly with silica sand. These parameters generally increased with increasing carbon black content in the composite. New area of use requiring moderate level of tensile strength, hardness and modulus (as in soles of shoes and engine mounts) is therefore opened up for silica sand.(author)

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(maleic Anhydride)s Cross-linked Polyimide Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Haiquan; Meador, Mary Ann B.

2015-01-01

With the development of technology for aerospace applications, new thermal insulation materials are required to be flexible and capable of surviving high heat flux. For instance, flexible insulation is needed for inflatable aerodynamic decelerators which are used to slow spacecraft for entry, descent and landing (EDL) operations. Polyimide aerogels have low density, high porosity, high surface area, and better mechanical properties than silica aerogels and can be made into flexible thin films, thus they are potential candidates for aerospace needs. The previously reported cross-linkers such as octa(aminophenyl)silsesquioxane (OAPS) and 1,3,5-triaminophenoxybenzene (TAB) are either expensive or not commercially available. Here, we report the synthesis of a series of polyimide aerogels cross-linked using various commercially available poly(maleic anhydride)s, as seen in Figure 1. The amine end capped polyimide oligomers were made with 3,3,4,4-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and diamine combinations of dimethylbenzidine (DMBZ) and 4, 4-oxydianiline (ODA). The resulting aerogels have low density (0.12 gcm3 to 0.16 gcm3), high porosity (90) and high surface area (380-554 m2g). The effect of the different poly(maleic anhydride) cross-linkers and polyimide backbone structures on density, shrinkage, porosity, surface area, mechanical properties, moisture resistance and thermal properties will be discussed.

Development of aerogel-lined targets for inertial confinement fusion experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braun, Tom [Technical Univ. Munchen (Germany)

2013-03-28

This thesis explores the formation of ICF compatible foam layers inside of an ablator shell used for inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility. In particular, the capability of p- DCPD polymer aerogels to serve as a scaffold for the deuterium-tritium mix was analyzed. Four different factors were evaluated: the dependency of different factors such as thickness or composition of a precursor solution on the uniformity of the aerogel layer, how to bring the optimal composition inside of the ablator shell, the mechanical stability of ultra-low density p-DCPD aerogel bulk pieces during wetting and freezing with hydrogen, and the wetting behavior of thin polymer foam layers in HDC carbon ablator shells with liquid deuterium. The research for thesis was done at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in cooperation with the Technical University Munich.

Photosensitized Oxidation of 9,10-Dimethylanthracene on Dye-Doped Silica Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elim Albiter

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A series of cationic dyes, methylene blue (MB, safranin O (SF, toluidine blue (TB, and neutral red (NR, were successfully incorporated into a silica matrix by using ultrasound irradiation during the Stöber process. Several analyses were performed, including scanning dynamic light scattering (DLS, electron microscopy (SEM, nitrogen physisorption, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The entrapped dyes on silica were evaluated in singlet oxygen (1O2 generation under visible light irradiation, by means of the photosensitized oxidation of 9,10-dimethylanthracene (DMA. According to the results, the photocatalytic performance of the silica composites was improved, and the leakage of the dye from the particles was suppressed. Among these four different types of dye-doped silica composites, the SiO2-SF composite showed the most efficient delivery of 1O2.

Graphene aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Pauzauskie, Peter J; Worsley, Marcus A; Baumann, Theodore F; Satcher, Jr., Joe H; Biener, Juergen

2015-03-31

Graphene aerogels with high conductivity and surface areas including a method for making a graphene aerogel, including the following steps: (1) preparing a reaction mixture comprising a graphene oxide suspension and at least one catalyst; (2) curing the reaction mixture to produce a wet gel; (3) drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and (4) pyrolyzing the dry gel to produce a graphene aerogel. Applications include electrical energy storage including batteries and supercapacitors.

Flexible Carbon Aerogels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Schwan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Carbon aerogels are highly porous materials with a large inner surface area. Due to their high electrical conductivity they are excellent electrode materials in supercapacitors. Their brittleness, however, imposes certain limitations in terms of applicability. In that context, novel carbon aerogels with varying degree of flexibility have been developed. These highly porous, light aerogels are characterized by a high surface area and possess pore structures in the micrometer range, allowing for a reversible deformation of the aerogel network. A high ratio of pore size to particle size was found to be crucial for high flexibility. For dynamic microstructural analysis, compression tests were performed in-situ within a scanning electron microscope allowing us to directly visualize the microstructural flexibility of an aerogel. The flexible carbon aerogels were found to withstand between 15% and 30% of uniaxial compression in a reversible fashion. These findings might stimulate further research and new application fields directed towards flexible supercapacitors and batteries.

Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Polyaniline Arrays Coated Graphene Aerogel Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yu; Xi, Yunlong; Li, Junzhi; Wei, Guodong; Klyui, N I; Han, Wei

2017-12-01

Flexible supercapacitors(SCs) made by reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-based aerogel usually suffer from the low energy density, short cycle life and bad flexibility. In this study, a new, synthetic strategy was developed for enhancing the electrochemical performances of rGO aerogel-based supercapacitor via electrodeposition polyaniline arrays on the prepared ultralight rGO aerogel. The novel hybrid composites with coated polyaniline (PANI) arrays growing on the rGO surface can take full advantage of the rich open-pore and excellent conductivity of the crosslinking framework structure of 3D rGO aerogel and high capacitance contribution from the PANI. The obtained hybrid composites exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 432 F g -1 at the current density of 1 A g -1 , robust cycling stability to maintain 85% after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles and high energy density of 25 W h kg -1 . Furthermore, the flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor have superior flexibility and outstanding stability under different bending states from the straight state to the 90° status. The high-performance flexible all-solid-state SCs together with the lighting tests demonstrate it possible for applications in portable electronics.

Carbon aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berthon-Fabry, S.; Achard, P.

2003-06-01

The carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material at open porosity, electrical conductor. The aerogels morphology is variable in function of the different synthesis parameters. This characteristic offers to the aerogels a better adaptability to many applications: electrodes (super condensers, fuel cells). The author presents the materials elaboration and their applications. It provides also the research programs: fundamental research, realization of super-condenser electrodes, fuel cells electrodes, gas storage materials and opaque materials for thermal insulation. (A.L.B.)

Interfacial interaction between the epoxidized natural rubber and silica in natural rubber/silica composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Tiwen [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Jia, Zhixin, E-mail: zxjia@scut.edu.cn [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Luo, Yuanfang; Jia, Demin [College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Peng, Zheng [Agricultural Product Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001 (China)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Substantiate the ring open reaction between Si-OH of silica and epoxy groups of ENR. • ENR can act as a bridge between NR and silica to enhance the interfacial interaction. • As a modifier, ENR gets the potential to be used in the tread of green tire for improving the wet skid resistance apparently. - Abstract: The epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) as an interfacial modifier was used to improve the mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of NR/silica composites. In order to reveal the interaction mechanism between ENR and silica, the ENR/Silica model compound was prepared by using an open mill and the interfacial interaction of ENR with silica was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and stress–strain testing. The results indicated that the ring-opening reaction occurs between the epoxy groups of ENR chains and Si-OH groups on the silica surfaces and the covalent bonds are formed between two phases, which can improve the dispersion of silica in the rubber matrix and enhance the interfacial combination between rubber and silica. The ring-opening reaction occurs not only in vulcanization process but also in mixing process, meanwhile, the latter seems to be more important due to the simultaneous effects of mechanical force and temperature.

Aerogel

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Aerogel, a material not much denser than air on a foggy morning ... between a liquid and a gas, leading to minimum effect on surface ... approached by the French Government to design a method to ... catalysts. • Aerogel dust in grain and seed stocks was found to kill insects by mere ... radiation detectors in nuclear reactors.

Preparation of lignin-based carbon aerogels as biomaterials for nano-supercapacitor

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bong Suk; Kang, Kyu-Young; Jeong, Myung-Joon

2017-10-01

Kraft and organosolv lignins, generally produced in chemical pulping and bio-refinery processes of lignocellulosic biomass, were used to prepare lignin-based carbon aerogels for supercapacitors as raw materials. The difference between lignins and lignin-based aerogels were compared by analyzing physical and chemical properties, including molecular weight, polydispersity, and reactivity with formaldehyde. Also, density, shrinkage, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the lignin-based aerogel were investigated. Kraft lignin consisting of coniferyl alcohol (G) and p-coumaryl alcohol (H) increased the reactivity of formaldehyde, formed a hydrogel well (porosity > 0.45), and specific surface area higher than organosolv lignin. In the case of kraft lignin, there were irregular changes such as oxidation and condensation in the pulping process. However, reaction sites with aromatic rings in lignin impacted the production of aerogel and required a long gelation period. The molecular weight of lignin influences the gelation time in producing lignin-based aerogel, and lignin composition affects the BET surface area and pore structures of the lignin-based carbon aerogels.

On the PEEK composites reinforced by surface-modified nano-silica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Y.H.; Kuo, M.C.; Huang, J.C.; Chen, M.

2007-01-01

The nano-sized silica fillers reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composites were fabricated by means of compression molding technique. The nano-sized silica, measuring 30 nm in size, was firstly modified by surface pretreatment with stearic acid. The performances and properties of the resulting PEEK/SiO 2 nanocomposites were examined in terms of tensile loading, hardness, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The modified nano-silica was seen to disperse more uniformly than the unmodified counterpart. The XRD patterns of the modified silica reinforced PEEK composites reveal a systematic shift toward higher angles, suggesting the smaller d-spacing of the PEEK crystallites. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) becomes lowered when the content of the nano-silica increases. Furthermore, the CTE of the modified silica filled PEEK nanocomposites shows the higher CTE values. A logic model is proposed. The increment of the dynamic modulus for the PEEK nanocomposites is up to 40% at elevated temperatures from 100 to 250 deg. C, indicating the apparent improvement of elevated temperature mechanical properties

Cellulose acetate-based SiO2/TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films for water-in-oil emulsion separation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xue; Ma, Jianjun; Ling, Jing; Li, Na; Wang, Di; Yue, Fan; Xu, Shimei

2018-03-01

The cellulose acetate (CA)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films were successfully fabricated via water vapor-induced phase inversion of CA solution and simultaneous hydrolysis/condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) at room temperature. Micro-nano hierarchical structure was constructed on the surface of the film. The film could separate nano-sized surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions only under gravity. The flux of the film for the emulsion separation was up to 667 L m-2 h-1, while the separation efficiency was up to 99.99 wt%. Meanwhile, the film exhibited excellent stability during multiple cycles. Moreover, the film performed excellent photo-degradation performance under UV light due to the photocatalytic ability of TiO2. Facile preparation, good separation and potential biodegradation maked the CA/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films a candidate in oil/water separation application.

Development of fluorocarbon/silica composites via sol/gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Max P.; Maria, Daniel A.; Gomes, Luiza M.F.

2009-01-01

Fluorocarbon/silica composites have interesting physical-chemical properties, combining the great resistance to chemical products, the electric insulation, and the thermal stability of fluorine polymers with the optical, magnetic, and dielectric properties of silica. Due to the unique mechanical, thermal, and dielectric properties of fluorocarbon and silica composites, there is interest in their application in the development of fuel cells, the production of integrated circuit boards (ICB), and packages for the transportation of integrated circuits. The sol-gel process is a chemical route to prepare ceramic materials with specific properties that are hard or impossible to obtain by conventional methods. Fluorocarbon/silica composites were obtained by the sol-gel method from tetramethoxysilane - TMOS and fluorinated hydrocarbons with low molecular weight and main chains with 10 - 20 carbon atoms previously obtained from PTFE scraps irradiated with a 60 Co γ source in oxygen atmosphere with a dose of 1 MGy. Syntheses were performed in 125-mL reaction flasks in basic medium at 35 deg C and in acid medium at 60 deg C with N-N dimethylformamide as a chemical additive for drying control. After synthesis, the material was thermally treated in an oven with electronic temperature control. The monoliths obtained were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electron microprobe and by a standard nitrogen adsorption-desorption technique. (author)

Technical applications of aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hrubesh, L.W.

1997-01-01

Aerogel materials posses such a wide variety of exceptional properties that a striking number of applications have developed for them. Many of the commercial applications of aerogels such as catalysts, thermal insulation, windows, and particle detectors are still under development and new application as have been publicized since the ISA4 Conference in 1994: e.g.; supercapacitors, insulation for heat storage in automobiles, electrodes for capacitive deionization, etc. More applications are evolving as the scientific and engineering community becomes familiar with the unusual and exceptional physical properties of aerogels, there are also scientific and technical application, as well. This paper discusses a variety of applications under development at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for which several types of aerogels are formed in custom sizes and shapes. Particular discussions will focus on the uses of aerogels for physics experiments which rely on the exceptional, sometimes unique, properties of aerogels

Insights into the Controllable Chemical Composition of Metal Oxide Nanowires and Graphene Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Anna Patrice

briefly, then isolated pockets of MTiO3 are formed on the nanowire surface. This structure retains the conductive channel in the center of the nanowire, which can be useful for charge separation. Longer annealing times result in segmented nanowires; the segments formed from a Ni-coated nanowire are bounded by TiO2(01-1) twin planes and NiTiO 3{100}/TiO2{03-1} interfaces. An alternative strategy for storing solar energy takes advantage of the capacitance between a semiconductor surface and adsorbed ions in solution. This type of energy storage device is called an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). Graphene-based aerogels, which are porous materials composed of few-layer graphitic sheets, have the potential for higher surface area and higher conductivity than standard carbon aerogels. These properties make graphene-based aerogels a good material candidate for EDLC electrodes. Graphene oxide (GO) is the precursor material for the synthesis of a graphene-based aerogel, and it has been widely studied. Yet its hydrothermal gelation is still not fully understood, due to the high pressure reaction conditions and the non-uniform nature of GO. We demonstrate a number of changes that occur to the GO sheets during gelation: wrinkling, formation of a densified monolith, deoxygenation, increasing thermal stability, and color change. Plotting the time evolution of all these properties shows that they are simultaneous and likely of common origin. Possible mechanisms for gelation are explored. Graphene aerogels are synthesized by vapor phase thermal reduction of GO aerogels at temperatures up to 1600 °C. Further deoxygenation is observed in the aerogel during thermal reduction, along with enhanced crystallinity and an associated change in the electronic structure. When graphene aerogels are exposed to high-temperature boron oxide vapor, they are converted to boron nitride (BN) aerogels. The structure of the BN aerogel is investigated and shown to be similar in nanoscale morphology

Recovering the Elemental Composition of Comet Wild 2 Dust in Five Stardust Impact Tracks and Terminal Particles in Aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, H A; Brennan, S; Bradley, J P; Luening, K; Ignatyev, K; Pianetta, P

2007-01-01

The elemental (non-volatile) composition of five Stardust impact tracks and terminal particles left from capture of Comet 81P/Wild 2 dust were mapped in a synchrotron x-ray scanning microprobe with full fluorescence spectra at each pixel. Because aerogel includes background levels of several elements of interest, we employ a novel 'dual threshold' approach to discriminate against background contaminants: an upper threshold, above which a spectrum contains cometary material plus aerogel and a lower threshold below which it contains only aerogel. The difference between normalized cometary-plus-background and background-only spectra is attributable to cometary material. The few spectra in between are discarded since misallocation is detrimental: cometary material incorrectly placed in the background spectrum is later subtracted from the cometary spectrum, doubling the loss of reportable cometary material. This approach improves precision of composition quantification. We present the refined whole impact track and terminal particle elemental abundances for the five impact tracks. One track shows mass increases in Cr and Mn (1.4x), Cu, As and K (2x), Zn (4x) and total mass (13%) by dual thresholds compared to a single threshold. Major elements Fe and Ni are not significantly affected. The additional Cr arises from cometary material containing little Fe. We exclude Au intermixed with cometary material because it is found to be a localized surface contaminant carried by comet dust into an impact track. The dual threshold technique can be used in other situations where elements of interest in a small sample embedded in a matrix are also present in the matrix itself

Van der Waal Interactions in Ultrafine Nanocellulose Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Fritch, Byron; Bradley, Derek; Kidd, Tim

Nanocellulose aerogels have shown an ability to be used in many different applications ranging from oil sponges to conductive materials to possibly a low calorie food substitute. Not much is known about the structural and physical property changes that occur when the composition of the aerogel changes. We studied what properties change when the aerogel amounts change, as well as how sticky the aerogels are and how strong they are. The higher concentrations appeared to have more plate-like structures while the lower concentrations had a more fibrous material. These fibers in the low concentrations had a smaller diameter than a human hair. Only the low concentration aerogels were able to stick to a glass surface in the adhesion test, but were able to support a mass much larger than their own. These low concentrations also would stick to your finger when lightly touched. Preliminary tests show that a concentration that is not too low, but not too high, is best for tensile strength. All concentrations were able to hold many times their own mass. Cellulose should be studied more because it is a renewable material and is easily accessed. Nanocellulose is also not environmentally dangerous allowing it to be used in applications involving humans and the environment like noted above. National Science Foundation Grant DMR-1410496.

Magnetic polymer-silica composites as bioluminescent sensors for bilirubin detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Timin, Alexander S., E-mail: a_timin@mail.ru [Inorganic Chemistry Department, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology (ISUCT), 7, Sheremetevsky prosp., 153000, Ivanovo (Russian Federation); RASA Center in Tomsk, Tomsk Polytechnic University, pros. Lenina, 30, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Solomonov, Alexey V. [Inorganic Chemistry Department, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology (ISUCT), 7, Sheremetevsky prosp., 153000, Ivanovo (Russian Federation); Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001 (Israel); Kumagai, Akiko; Miyawaki, Atsushi [Cell Function Dynamics, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Khashirova, Svetlana Yu; Zhansitov, Azamat [Kabardino-Balkar State University, 173 Chernyshevskogo St., Nal' chik, 360004, Kabardino-Balkaria (Russian Federation); Rumyantsev, Evgeniy V. [Inorganic Chemistry Department, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology (ISUCT), 7, Sheremetevsky prosp., 153000, Ivanovo (Russian Federation)

2016-11-01

The synthesis of multifunctional nano-sized materials is leading to the rapid development of key application, including improved drug delivery, bioimaging and protein separation. In this work, magnetic silica particles modified with novel guanidine containing co-polymers were manufactured via sol-gel method. To evaluate the chemical composition of our prepared samples, FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry were conducted. Scanning electron microscopy was used in order to investigate the morphology of final products after modification by guanidine containing co-polymers and iron nanoparticles. In addition, the surface of polymer-silica composites was functionalized by the novel bilirubin-inducible fluorescent protein UnaG. In an aqueous bilirubin solution, the silica particles decorated with the polymer-UnaG have showed bright fluorescence. Synthesis and characterization of these hybrid materials allow developing of new multifunctional nano-sized materials, which will be used for detection and separation of bilirubin, a lipophilic heme catabolite that is a clinical diagnostic for liver function. - Highlights: • Novel magnetic silicas grafted by guanidine containing co-polymers were prepared. • Unag protein was effectively loaded into polymer coated silicas. • The fluorescent properties depend on content of bilirubin.

Magnetic polymer-silica composites as bioluminescent sensors for bilirubin detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timin, Alexander S.; Solomonov, Alexey V.; Kumagai, Akiko; Miyawaki, Atsushi; Khashirova, Svetlana Yu; Zhansitov, Azamat; Rumyantsev, Evgeniy V.

2016-01-01

The synthesis of multifunctional nano-sized materials is leading to the rapid development of key application, including improved drug delivery, bioimaging and protein separation. In this work, magnetic silica particles modified with novel guanidine containing co-polymers were manufactured via sol-gel method. To evaluate the chemical composition of our prepared samples, FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry were conducted. Scanning electron microscopy was used in order to investigate the morphology of final products after modification by guanidine containing co-polymers and iron nanoparticles. In addition, the surface of polymer-silica composites was functionalized by the novel bilirubin-inducible fluorescent protein UnaG. In an aqueous bilirubin solution, the silica particles decorated with the polymer-UnaG have showed bright fluorescence. Synthesis and characterization of these hybrid materials allow developing of new multifunctional nano-sized materials, which will be used for detection and separation of bilirubin, a lipophilic heme catabolite that is a clinical diagnostic for liver function. - Highlights: • Novel magnetic silicas grafted by guanidine containing co-polymers were prepared. • Unag protein was effectively loaded into polymer coated silicas. • The fluorescent properties depend on content of bilirubin.

Mesoporous fluorocarbon-modified silica aerogel membranes enabling long-term continuous CO2 capture with large absorption flux enhancements.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yi-Feng; Chen, Chien-Hua; Tung, Kuo-Lun; Wei, Te-Yu; Lu, Shih-Yuan; Chang, Kai-Shiun

2013-03-01

The use of a membrane contactor combined with a hydrophobic porous membrane and an amine absorbent has attracted considerable attention for the capture of CO2 because of its extensive use, low operational costs, and low energy consumption. The hydrophobic porous membrane interface prevents the passage of the amine absorbent but allows the penetration of CO2 molecules that are captured by the amine absorbent. Herein, highly porous SiO2 aerogels modified with hydrophobic fluorocarbon functional groups (CF3 ) were successfully coated onto a macroporous Al2 O3 membrane; their performance in a membrane contactor for CO2 absorption is discussed. The SiO2 aerogel membrane modified with CF3 functional groups exhibits the highest CO2 absorption flux and can be continuously operated for CO2 absorption for extended periods of time. This study suggests that a SiO2 aerogel membrane modified with CF3 functional groups could potentially be used in a membrane contactor for CO2 absorption. Also, the resulting hydrophobic SiO2 aerogel membrane contactor is a promising technology for large-scale CO2 absorption during the post-combustion process in power plants. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Clay exfoliation and polymer/clay aerogels by supercritical carbon dioxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona eLongo

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 treatments of a montmorillonite (MMT intercalated with ammonium cations bearing two long hydrocarbon tails (organo-modified MMT, OMMT led to OMMT exfoliation, with loss of the long-range order in the packing of the hydrocarbon tails and maintenance of the long-range order in the clay layers. The intercalated and the derived exfoliated OMMT have been deeply characterized, mainly by X-ray diffraction analyses. Monolithic composite aerogels, with large amounts of both intercalated and exfoliated OMMT and including the nanoporous-crystalline δ form of syndiotactic polystyrene (s-PS, have been prepared, by scCO2 extractions of s-PS-based gels. Also for high OMMT content, the gel and aerogel preparation procedures occur without re-aggregation of the exfoliated clay, which is instead observed for other kinds of polymer processing. Aerogels with the exfoliated OMMT have more even dispersion of the clay layers, higher elastic modulus and larger surface area than aerogels with the intercalated OMMT. Extremely light materials with relevant transport properties could be prepared. Moreover, s-PS-based aerogels with exfoliated OMMT could be helpful for the handling of exfoliated clay minerals.

Properties of aerogels in glazings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Jørgen Munthe

1998-01-01

This report describes the final tests carried out on an advanced apparatus for measurement of thermal conductivity of materials at atmospheric pressure and different levels of evacuation. The apparatus was designed and constructed in the phase 1 of the project. Difficulties with the control system...... have been solved and measurements have been carried out on common polystyrene foam insulation at atmospheric pressure. The measurements have been compared with results from reference measurements and a difference of only 0.3% was found in measured thermal conductivity. Measurements on monolithic silica...... aerogel were performed at 5 different pressure levels in the range 0.2 - 1000 hPa. The measured equivalent thermal conductivity is in the range 8.9 - 16.4 mW/(m K) which corresponds very well with results obtained by institutes in Germany and France....

Cherenkov rings from aerogel detected by four large-area hybrid photodiodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Braem, A.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Calvi, M.; Chesi, E.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Easo, S.; Jolly, S.; Joram, C.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Liko, D.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Neufeld, N.; Onuchin, A.P.; Seguinot, J.; Wotton, S.

2003-01-01

We report on the results obtained using thick samples of silica aerogel as radiators for a Ring Imaging Cherenkov counter. Four large-diameter hybrid photodiodes with 2048 channels have been used as photon detectors. Pions and protons with momenta ranging from 6 to 10 GeV/c were separated and identified. The number of photoelectrons and the radius of the Cherenkov rings together with the Cherenkov angle resolution were measured. A comparison with a simulation program based on GEANT4 is discussed

Synthesis of Porous and Mechanically Compliant Carbon Aerogels Using Conductive and Structural Additives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Macias

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We report the synthesis of conductive and mechanically compliant monolithic carbon aerogels prepared by sol-gel polycondensation of melamine-resorcinol-formaldehyde (MRF mixtures by incorporating diatomite and carbon black additives. The resulting aerogels composites displayed a well-developed porous structure, confirming that the polymerization of the precursors is not impeded in the presence of either additive. The aerogels retained the porous structure after etching off the siliceous additive, indicating adequate cross-linking of the MRF reactants. However, the presence of diatomite caused a significant fall in the pore volumes, accompanied by coarsening of the average pore size (predominance of large mesopores and macropores. The diatomite also prevented structural shrinkage and deformation of the as-prepared monoliths upon densification by carbonization, even after removal of the siliceous framework. The rigid pristine aerogels became more flexible upon incorporation of the diatomite, favoring implementation of binderless monolithic aerogel electrodes.

Impact Verification of Aerogel Insulation Paint on Historic Brick Facades

Science.gov (United States)

Ganobjak, Michal; Kralova, Eva

2017-10-01

Increasing the sustainability of existing buildings is being motivated by reduction of their energy demands. It is the above all the building envelope and its refurbishment by substitution or addition of new materials that makes the opportunity for reduction of energy consumption. A special type of refurbishment is conservation of historical buildings. Preservation of historic buildings permits also application of innovative methods and materials in addition to the original materials if their effects are known and the gained experience ensures their beneficial effect. On the market, there are new materials with addition of silica aerogel in various forms of products. They are also potentially useful in conservation of monuments. However, the effects of aerogel application in these cases are not known. For refurbishment is commercially available additional transparent insulation paint - Nansulate Clear Coat which is containing aerogel and can be used for structured surfaces such as bricks. A series of experiments examined the thermo-physical manifestation of an ultra-thin insulation coating of Nansulate Clear Coat containing silica aerogel on a brick facade. The experiments of active and passive thermography have observed effects of application on the small-scale samples of the brick façade of a protected historical building. Through a series of experiments were measured thermal insulation effect and influence on the aesthetic characteristics such as change in colour and gloss. The treated samples were compared to a reference. Results have shown no thermal-insulating manifestation of the recommended three layers of insulation paint. The three layers recommended by the manufacturer did not significantly affect the appearance of the brick facade. Color and gloss were not significantly changed. Experiments showed the absence of thermal insulation effect of Nansulate transparent triple coating. The thermal insulation effect could likely be reached by more layers of

Effects of roughness on interfacial performances of silica glass and non-polar polyarylacetylene resin composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Z.X.; Huang, Y.D.; Liu, L.; Long, J.

2007-01-01

The influence of roughness on interfacial performances of silica glass/polyarylacetylene resin composites was investigated. In order to obtain different roughness, silica glass surface was abraded by different grits of abrasives and its topography was observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. At the same time, the failure mechanisms of composites were analyzed by fracture morphologies and the interfacial adhesion was evaluated by shear strength test. The results indicated that shear strength of silica glass/polyarylacetylene resin composites firstly increased and then decreased with the surface roughness of silica glass increased. The best surface roughness range of silica glass was 40-60 nm. The main mechanism for the improvement of the interfacial adhesion was physical interlocking at the interface

Surge-Resistant Nanocomposite Enameled Wire Using Silica Nanoparticles with Binary Chemical Compositions on the Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeseung Yoo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We developed polyesterimide (PEI nanocomposite enameled wires using surface-modified silica nanoparticles with binary chemical compositions on the surface. The modification was done using silanes assisted by ultrasound, which facilitated high density modification. Two different trimethoxysilanes were chosen for the modification on the basis of resemblance of chemical compositions on the silica surface to PEI varnish. The surface-modified silica was well dispersed in PEI varnish, which was confirmed by optical observation and viscosity measurement. The glass transition temperature of the silica-PEI nanocomposite increased with the silica content. The silica-dispersed PEI varnish was then used for enameled wire fabrication. The silica-PEI nanocomposite enameled wire exhibited a much longer lifetime compared to that of neat PEI enameled wire in partial discharge conditions.

Composite hydrogel based on surface modified mesoporous silica and poly[(2-acryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, Cecilia C.; Urbano, Bruno F.; Campos, Cristian H.; Rivas, Bernabé L.; Reyes, Patricio

2015-01-01

This work focused on the synthesis, characterization and water absorbency of a composite hydrogel based on poly[(2-acryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride] and mesoporous silica, MCM-41. The MCM-41 was synthesized and later surface functionalized with triethoxyvinylsilane (VTES) and 3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate (TMSPM) by a post-grafting procedure. The composite hydrogels were obtained by in-situ polymerization using a mixture of monomer, crosslinker and initiator in the presence of functionalized MCM-41. Diverse characterization techniques were used at the different stages of synthesis, namely, FT-IR, TEM, SEM, DRX, 29 Si and 13 C solid state NMR, and N 2 adsorption isotherms at 77 K. Finally, the water uptake performance of the composites was tested as a function of time, mesoporous silica loading and coupling agent used at the functionalization. The composites using non-functionalized MCM-41 reached the highest water uptake, whereas those composite with MCM-41 TMSPM exhibited the lowest sorption. - Highlights: • Hydrophilic crosslinked polymer-mesoporous silica was obtained. • Mesoporous silica MCM-41 was synthesized and functionalized with organosilane. • Functionalization of MCM-41 affects the water uptake of composite. • Mesoporous silica is covalently bound to the polymer acting as crosslinked point

Composite Gypsum Binders with Silica-containing Additives

Science.gov (United States)

Chernysheva, N. V.; Lesovik, V. S.; Drebezgova, M. Yu; Shatalova, S. V.; Alaskhanov, A. H.

2018-03-01

New types of fine mineral additives are proposed for designing water-resistant Composite Gypsum Binders (CGB); these additives significantly differ from traditional quartz feed: wastes from wet magnetic separation of Banded Iron Formation (BIF WMS waste), nanodispersed silica powder (NSP), chalk. Possibility of their combined use has been studied as well.

Plasmonic Aerogels as a Three-Dimensional Nanoscale Platform for Solar Fuel Photocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

DeSario, Paul A; Pietron, Jeremy J; Dunkelberger, Adam; Brintlinger, Todd H; Baturina, Olga; Stroud, Rhonda M; Owrutsky, Jeffrey C; Rolison, Debra R

2017-09-19

We use plasmonic Au-TiO 2 aerogels as a platform in which to marry synthetically thickened particle-particle junctions in TiO 2 aerogel networks to Au∥TiO 2 interfaces and then investigate their cooperative influence on photocatalytic hydrogen (H 2 ) generation under both broadband (i.e., UV + visible light) and visible-only excitation. In doing so, we elucidate the dual functions that incorporated Au can play as a water reduction cocatalyst and as a plasmonic sensitizer. We also photodeposit non-plasmonic Pt cocatalyst nanoparticles into our composite aerogels in order to leverage the catalytic water-reducing abilities of Pt. This Au-TiO 2 /Pt arrangement in three dimensions effectively utilizes conduction-band electrons injected into the TiO 2 aerogel network upon exciting the Au SPR at the Au∥TiO 2 interface. The extensive nanostructured high surface-area oxide network in the aerogel provides a matrix that spatially separates yet electrochemically connects plasmonic nanoparticle sensitizers and metal nanoparticle catalysts, further enhancing solar-fuels photochemistry. We compare the photocatalytic rates of H 2 generation with and without Pt cocatalysts added to Au-TiO 2 aerogels and demonstrate electrochemical linkage of the SPR-generated carriers at the Au∥TiO 2 interfaces to downfield Pt nanoparticle cocatalysts. Finally, we investigate visible light-stimulated generation of conduction band electrons in Au-TiO 2 and TiO 2 aerogels using ultrafast visible pump/IR probe spectroscopy. Substantially more electrons are produced at Au-TiO 2 aerogels due to the incorporated SPR-active Au nanoparticle, whereas the smaller population of electrons generated at Au-free TiO 2 aerogels likely originate at shallow traps in the high surface-area mesoporous aerogel.

Wear resistance and electrical properties of functionally graded epoxy-resin/silica composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rihan, Y. A.; Abd El-Bary, B.

2012-12-01

In this paper graded Silica/Epoxy composite fabricated by controlled mold filling to obtain a stepwise graded structure. The generated graded structure was controlled by the w 1% content of silica particulates of size range from (45 μm-250 μm). Microstructural characterization was conducted using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Electrical properties were conducted in High Voltage-Lab using Sphere-Plate Electrode System and Insulating resistance equipment s. Wear characteristics were studied using Block-on-Ring wear testing machine for the different layers of the graded silica/epoxy composites, The prepared materials are used as coating materials for the floors of chemical laboratories. (Author)

Supercritical carbon dioxide behavior in porous silica aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciccariello, Salvino; Melnichenko, Yuri B.; He, Lilin

2011-01-01

Analysis of the tails of the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) intensities relevant to samples formed by porous silica and carbon dioxide at pressures ranging from 0 to 20 MPa and at temperatures of 308 and 353 K confirms that the CO2 fluid must be treated as a two-phase system. The first of these phases is formed by the fluid closer to the silica wall than a suitable distance (delta) and the second by the fluid external to this shell. The sample scattering-length densities and shell thicknesses are determined by the Porod invariants and the oscillations observed in the Porod plots of the SANS intensities. The resulting matter densities of the shell regions (thickness 15-35 (angstrom)) are approximately equal, while those of the outer regions increase with pressure and become equal to the bulk CO2 at the higher pressures only in the low-temperature case.

Melamine-formaldehyde aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Pekala, Richard Walter

1992-01-01

Organic aerogels that are transparent and essentially colorless are prepa from the aqueous, sol-gel polymerization of melamine with formaldehyde. The melamine-formaldehyde (MF) aerogels have low densities, high surface areas, continuous porsity, ultrafine cell/pore sizes, and optical clarity.

Protective Skins for Aerogel Monoliths

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas; Johnston, James C.; Kuczmarski, Maria A.; Meador, Ann B.

2007-01-01

A method of imparting relatively hard protective outer skins to aerogel monoliths has been developed. Even more than aerogel beads, aerogel monoliths are attractive as thermal-insulation materials, but the commercial utilization of aerogel monoliths in thermal-insulation panels has been inhibited by their fragility and the consequent difficulty of handling them. Therefore, there is a need to afford sufficient protection to aerogel monoliths to facilitate handling, without compromising the attractive bulk properties (low density, high porosity, low thermal conductivity, high surface area, and low permittivity) of aerogel materials. The present method was devised to satisfy this need. The essence of the present method is to coat an aerogel monolith with an outer polymeric skin, by painting or spraying. Apparently, the reason spraying and painting were not attempted until now is that it is well known in the aerogel industry that aerogels collapse in contact with liquids. In the present method, one prevents such collapse through the proper choice of coating liquid and process conditions: In particular, one uses a viscous polymer precursor liquid and (a) carefully controls the amount of liquid applied and/or (b) causes the liquid to become cured to the desired hard polymeric layer rapidly enough that there is not sufficient time for the liquid to percolate into the aerogel bulk. The method has been demonstrated by use of isocyanates, which, upon exposure to atmospheric moisture, become cured to polyurethane/polyurea-type coats. The method has also been demonstrated by use of commercial epoxy resins. The method could also be implemented by use of a variety of other resins, including polyimide precursors (for forming high-temperature-resistant protective skins) or perfluorinated monomers (for forming coats that impart hydrophobicity and some increase in strength).

Reduced graphene oxide aerogel networks with soft interfacial template for applications in bone tissue regeneration

Science.gov (United States)

Asha, S.; Ananth, A. Nimrodh; Jose, Sujin P.; Rajan, M. A. Jothi

2018-05-01

Reduced Graphene Oxide aerogels (A-RGO), functionalized with chitosan, were found to induce and/or accelerate the mineralization of hydroxyapatite. The functionalized chitosan acts as a soft interfacial template on the surface of A-RGO assisting the growth of hydroxyapatite particles. The mineralization on these soft aerogel networks was performed by soaking the aerogels in simulated body fluid, relative to time. Polymer-induced mineralization exhibited an ordered arrangement of hydroxyapatite particles on reduced graphene oxide aerogel networks with a higher crystalline index (IC) of 1.7, which mimics the natural bone formation indicating the importance of the polymeric interfacial template. These mineralized aerogels which mimic the structure and composition of natural bone exhibit relatively higher rate of cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and osteoid matrix formation proving it to be a potential scaffold for bone tissue regeneration.

Composite hydrogel based on surface modified mesoporous silica and poly[(2-acryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres, Cecilia C. [Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Science, University of Concepción (Chile); Urbano, Bruno F., E-mail: burbano@udec.cl [Department of Polymer Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Science, University of Concepción (Chile); Campos, Cristian H. [Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Science, University of Concepción (Chile); Rivas, Bernabé L. [Department of Polymer Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Science, University of Concepción (Chile); Reyes, Patricio [Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Science, University of Concepción (Chile)

2015-02-15

This work focused on the synthesis, characterization and water absorbency of a composite hydrogel based on poly[(2-acryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride] and mesoporous silica, MCM-41. The MCM-41 was synthesized and later surface functionalized with triethoxyvinylsilane (VTES) and 3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate (TMSPM) by a post-grafting procedure. The composite hydrogels were obtained by in-situ polymerization using a mixture of monomer, crosslinker and initiator in the presence of functionalized MCM-41. Diverse characterization techniques were used at the different stages of synthesis, namely, FT-IR, TEM, SEM, DRX, {sup 29}Si and {sup 13}C solid state NMR, and N{sub 2} adsorption isotherms at 77 K. Finally, the water uptake performance of the composites was tested as a function of time, mesoporous silica loading and coupling agent used at the functionalization. The composites using non-functionalized MCM-41 reached the highest water uptake, whereas those composite with MCM-41 TMSPM exhibited the lowest sorption. - Highlights: • Hydrophilic crosslinked polymer-mesoporous silica was obtained. • Mesoporous silica MCM-41 was synthesized and functionalized with organosilane. • Functionalization of MCM-41 affects the water uptake of composite. • Mesoporous silica is covalently bound to the polymer acting as crosslinked point.

Synthesis and Gas Transport Properties of Hyperbranched Polyimide–Silica Hybrid/Composite Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masako Miki

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Hyperbranched polyimide–silica hybrids (HBPI–silica HBDs and hyperbranched polyimide–silica composites (HBPI–silica CPTs were prepared, and their general and gas transport properties were investigated to clarify the effect of silica sources and preparation methods. HBPI–silica HBDs and HBPI–silica CPTs were synthesized by two-step polymerization of A2 + B3 monomer system via polyamic acid as precursor, followed by hybridizing or blending silica sources. Silica components were incorporated by the sol-gel reaction with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS or the addition of colloidal silica. In HBPI-silica HBDs, the aggregation of silica components is controlled because of the high affinity of HBPI and silica caused by the formation of covalent bonds between HBPI and silica. Consequently, HBPI-silica HBDs had good film formability, transparency, and mechanical properties compared with HBPI-silica CPTs. HBPI-silica HBD and CPT membranes prepared via the sol-gel reaction with TMOS showed specific gas permeabilities and permselectivities for CO2/CH4 separation, that is, both CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity increased with increasing silica content. This result suggests that gas transport can occur through a molecular sieving effect of the porous silica network derived from the sol-gel reaction and/or through the narrow interfacial region between the silica networks and the organic matrix.

Influence of acetone extract from natural rubber on the structure and interface interaction in NR/silica composites

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Tiwen; Jia, Zhixin; Wu, Lianghui; Chen, Yongjun; Luo, Yuanfang; Jia, Demin; Peng, Zheng

2017-11-01

It is well known that the coupling reagents as the additional modifiers were often used to improve the reinforcement effect of silica filled natural rubber. Actually, the commercial raw NR is a mixture consisting of polyisoprene and non-isoprene, where the latter one might have impact on the properties of NR/silica composites as an inartificial modifier inside. Thus, investigating the effect of non-isoprene compounds on the structure and properties of NR/silica composites is a novel approach to disclose the peculiarity of NR, which is meaningful to the assessment of NR quality. In this paper, the influences of acetone extract (AE) from natural rubber on the structure and mechanical properties of NR/silica composites were studied. Then the interfacial interactions between AE and silica were also illustrated through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetic analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results demonstrated the existence of hydrogen bond between silica and AE, also the covalent bond induced by esterification reaction between sbnd COOH and Sisbnd OH, which resulted in an increase of constrained regions around silica surface leading to the promotions on mechanical and dynamical properties of NR/silica composites significantly.

Effective utilizations of palm oil mill fly ash for synthetic amorphous silica and carbon zeolite composite synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Utama, P. S.; Saputra, E.; Khairat

2018-04-01

Palm Oil Mill Fly Ash (POMFA) the solid waste of palm oil industry was used as a raw material for synthetic amorphous silica and carbon zeolite composite synthesis in order to minimize the wastes of palm oil industry. The alkaline extraction combine with the sol-gel precipitation and mechanical fragmentation was applied to produce synthetic amorphous silica. The byproduct, extracted POMFA was rich in carbon and silica content in a significant amount. The microwave heated hydrothermal process used to synthesize carbon zeolite composite from the byproduct. The obtained silica had chemical composition, specific surface area and the micrograph similar to commercial precipitated silica for rubber filler. The microwave heated hydrothermal process has a great potential for synthesizing carbon zeolite composite. The process only needs one-step and shorter time compare to conventional hydrothermal process.

Tailored sPP/Silica Nano composite for Eco friendly Insulation of Extruded HVDC Cable

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dang, B.; He, J.; Hu, J.; Zhou, Y.

2015-01-01

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is a thermosetting material that cannot be recycled at the end of its lifetime. This study investigated the potential of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP)/silica as an eco friendly extruded insulation system for HVDC cables. We investigated the morphology, Fourier transform infrared, and thermal, thermomechanical, and electrical behaviors of sPP modified with 0.5-3% nano silica. We found that the silica/sPP nano composite without cross-linking offered a suitable mechanical modulus at room temperature and sufficient intensity at high temperatures, and adding nano silica modified by a silane coupling agent to the sPP resulted in significant DC resistivity and space charge improvement. The optimal nano silica content in the sPP was determined by balancing the mechanical and thermomechanical characteristics and the DC resistivity. The sPP/silica nano composite reported here shows great potential as a candidate insulation material for future eco friendly extruded HVDC cables.

Sprayable Aerogel Bead Compositions With High Shear Flow Resistance and High Thermal Insulation Value

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Danny; Trifu, Roxana; Caggiano, Gregory

2013-01-01

A sprayable aerogel insulation has been developed that has good mechanical integrity and lower thermal conductivity than incumbent polyurethane spray-on foam insulation, at similar or lower areal densities, to prevent insulation cracking and debonding in an effort to eliminate the generation of inflight debris. This new, lightweight aerogel under bead form can be used as insulation in various thermal management systems that require low mass and volume, such as cryogenic storage tanks, pipelines, space platforms, and launch vehicles.

Influence of polyolefin fibers on the engineering properties of cement-based composites containing silica fume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Ta-Yuan; Lin, Wei-Ting; Cheng, An; Huang, Ran; Huang, Chin-Cheng

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Experimental study is focus on the engineering properties of cement-based composites. ► Different mixes containing fiber and silica fume proportions have been tested. ► The influence of different mixes on the engineering properties has been discussed. ► The properties are included strength, ductility, permeability and microstructure. -- Abstract: This study evaluated the mechanical properties of cement-based composites produced with added polyolefin fibers and silica fume. Material variables included the water-cementitious ratio, the dosage of silica fume, and the length and dosage of polyolefin fiber. Researchers conducted tests on compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, direct tensile strength, resistivity, rapid chloride penetration, and initial surface absorption, and performed microscopic observation. Test results indicate that the specimens containing silica fume have higher compressive strength than the control and specimen made with fibers. The specimens with polyolefin fiber and silica fume have considerably higher tensile strength and ductility than the control and specimens made with silica fume. The specimens containing silica fume and polyolefin fiber demonstrated better resistance to chloride penetration than composites with polyolefin fiber or silica fume. For a given volume fraction, short polyolefin fiber performs better than its long counterpart in improving the properties of concrete. Specimens containing silica fume demonstrated a significant increase in resistivity and decrease in the total charge passed and absorption. Scanning electron microscopy illustrates that the polyolefin fiber acts to arrest the propagation of internal cracks.

Altering the concentration of silica tunes the functional properties of collagen-silica composite scaffolds to suit various clinical requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Perumal, Sathiamurthi; Ramadass, Satiesh Kumar; Gopinath, Arun; Madhan, Balaraman; Shanmugam, Ganesh; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Mandal, Asit Baran

2015-12-01

The success of a tissue engineering scaffold depends on a fine balance being achieved between the physicochemical and biological properties. This study attempts to understand the influence of silica concentration on the functional properties of collagen-silica (CS) composite scaffolds for soft tissue engineering applications. Increasing the ratio of silica to collagen (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 w/w) gave a marked advantage in terms of improving the water uptake and compressive modulus of the CS scaffolds, while also enhancing the biological stability and the turnover time. With increase in silica concentration the water uptake and compressive modulus increased concurrently, whereas it was not so for surface porous architecture and biocompatibility which are crucial for cell adhesion and infiltration. Silica:collagen ratio of ≤1 exhibits favourable surface biocompatibility, and any further increase in silica concentration has a detrimental effect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using of Aerogel to Improve Thermal Insulating Properties of Windows

Science.gov (United States)

Valachova, Denisa; Zdrazilova, Nada; Panovec, Vladan; Skotnicova, Iveta

2018-06-01

For the best possible thermal-technical properties of building structures it is necessary to use materials with very low thermal conductivity. Due to the increasing thermal-technical requirements for building structures, the insulating materials are developed. One of the modern thermal insulating materials is so-called aerogel. Unfortunately, this material is not used in the field of external thermal insulation composite systems because of its price and its properties. The aim of this paper is to present possibilities of using this insulating material in the civil engineering - specifically a usage of aerogel in the production of windows.

Preparation of hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicate composites by simple Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enterría, Marina, E-mail: marina@incar.csic.es; Suárez-García, Fabián; Martínez-Alonso, Amelia; Tascón, Juan M.D.

2014-01-15

Highlights: • Hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicates were synthesized. • Y zeolite core/MCM-48 silica shell structures were obtained. • Y zeolite favors the formation of the mesostructure. • Porosity and structure can be varied by modifying the preparation variables. • Duration of the hydrothermal step has a great effect on the materials properties. -- Abstract: A simple procedure to obtain hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicate composites was developed by growing MCM-48 silica over commercial Y zeolite. The obtained hierarchical composites have a microporous core and a mesoporous shell. The process consists in assembling dispersed Y zeolite with a mesoporous silica phase that is formed “in situ” by “soft-templating” with cetryltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica ratio and aging time were varied to study their effects on the final porosity and structure of the hierarchical composites. The pore textural and structural characteristics of the composites did not match those of the corresponding Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica physical mixtures. This implies that the synthesized composites integrate micropores and mesopores in the same bulk. The obtained composites exhibited micropore and mesopore volumes ranging between 0.15–0.31 and 0.30–0.51 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively. X-ray diffraction and N{sub 2} adsorption results revealed that the presence of zeolite in the reaction medium favors the formation of mesopores in the obtained materials, especially for short hydrothermal treatments. TEM results showed that the obtained adsorbents are constituted by an integrated micro-mesoporous bimodal system in which Y zeolite is surrounded by a thin cover of MCM-48 silica.

Preparation of hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicate composites by simple Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enterría, Marina; Suárez-García, Fabián; Martínez-Alonso, Amelia; Tascón, Juan M.D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicates were synthesized. • Y zeolite core/MCM-48 silica shell structures were obtained. • Y zeolite favors the formation of the mesostructure. • Porosity and structure can be varied by modifying the preparation variables. • Duration of the hydrothermal step has a great effect on the materials properties. -- Abstract: A simple procedure to obtain hierarchical micro-mesoporous aluminosilicate composites was developed by growing MCM-48 silica over commercial Y zeolite. The obtained hierarchical composites have a microporous core and a mesoporous shell. The process consists in assembling dispersed Y zeolite with a mesoporous silica phase that is formed “in situ” by “soft-templating” with cetryltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica ratio and aging time were varied to study their effects on the final porosity and structure of the hierarchical composites. The pore textural and structural characteristics of the composites did not match those of the corresponding Y zeolite/MCM-48 silica physical mixtures. This implies that the synthesized composites integrate micropores and mesopores in the same bulk. The obtained composites exhibited micropore and mesopore volumes ranging between 0.15–0.31 and 0.30–0.51 cm 3 /g, respectively. X-ray diffraction and N 2 adsorption results revealed that the presence of zeolite in the reaction medium favors the formation of mesopores in the obtained materials, especially for short hydrothermal treatments. TEM results showed that the obtained adsorbents are constituted by an integrated micro-mesoporous bimodal system in which Y zeolite is surrounded by a thin cover of MCM-48 silica

Development and evaluation of aerogel-filled BMI sandwich panels for thermal barrier applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Dineshkumar

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study details a fabrication methodology envisaged to manufacture Glass/BMI honeycomb core aerogel-filled sandwich panels. Silica aerogel granules are used as core fillers to provide thermal insulation properties with little weight increase. Experimental heat transfer studies are conducted on these panels to study the temperature distribution between their two surfaces. Numerical studies are also carried out to validate the results. Despite exhibiting good thermal shielding capabilities, the Glass/BMI sandwich panels are found to oxidise at 180 ºC if exposed directly to heat. In order to increase the temperature bearing capacity and the operating temperature range for these panels, a way of coating them from outside with high temperature spray paint was tried. With a silicone-based coating, the temperature sustainability of these sandwich panels is found to increase to 350 ºC. This proved the effectiveness of the formed manufacturing process, selected high temperature coating, the coating method as well as the envisaged sandwich panel concept.

Highly stretchable carbon aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fan; Jiang, Yanqiu; Xu, Zhen; Xiao, Youhua; Fang, Bo; Liu, Yingjun; Gao, Weiwei; Zhao, Pei; Wang, Hongtao; Gao, Chao

2018-02-28

Carbon aerogels demonstrate wide applications for their ultralow density, rich porosity, and multifunctionalities. Their compressive elasticity has been achieved by different carbons. However, reversibly high stretchability of neat carbon aerogels is still a great challenge owing to their extremely dilute brittle interconnections and poorly ductile cells. Here we report highly stretchable neat carbon aerogels with a retractable 200% elongation through hierarchical synergistic assembly. The hierarchical buckled structures and synergistic reinforcement between graphene and carbon nanotubes enable a temperature-invariable, recoverable stretching elasticity with small energy dissipation (~0.1, 100% strain) and high fatigue resistance more than 10 6 cycles. The ultralight carbon aerogels with both stretchability and compressibility were designed as strain sensors for logic identification of sophisticated shape conversions. Our methodology paves the way to highly stretchable carbon and neat inorganic materials with extensive applications in aerospace, smart robots, and wearable devices.

Functionalization of biomass carbonaceous aerogels: selective preparation of MnO2@CA composites for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Yumei; Xu, Qun; Zhang, Jianmin; Yang, Hongxia; Wang, Bo; Yang, Daoyuan; Hu, Junhua; Liu, Zhimin

2014-06-25

Functionalized porous carbon materials with hierarchical structure and developed porosity coming from natural and renewable biomass have been attracting tremendous attention recently. In this work, we present a facile and scalable method to synthesize MnO2 loaded carbonaceous aerogel (MnO2@CA) composites via the hydrothermal carbonaceous (HTC) process. We employ two reaction systems of the mixed metal ion precursors to study the optimal selective adsorption and further reaction of MnO2 precursor on CA. Our experimental results show that the system containing KMnO4 and Na2S2O3·5H2O exhibits better electrochemical properties compared with the reaction system of MnSO4·H2O and (NH4)2S2O8. For the former, the obtained MnO2@CA displays the specific capacitance of 123.5 F·g(-1). The enhanced supercapacitance of MnO2@CA nanocomposites could be ascribed to both electrochemical contributions of the loaded MnO2 nanoparticles and the porous structure of three-dimensional carbonaceous aerogels. This study not only indicates that it is vital for the reaction systems to match with porous carbonaceous materials, but also offers a new fabrication strategy to prepare lightweight and high-performance materials that can be used in energy storage devices.

Aerogel-Based Multilayer Insulation with Micrometeoroid Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Begag, Redouane; White, Shannon

2013-01-01

Ultra-low-density, highly hydrophobic, fiber-reinforced aerogel material integrated with MLI (aluminized Mylar reflectors and B4A Dacron separators) offers a highly effective insulation package by providing unsurpassed thermal performance and significant robustness, delivering substantial MMOD protection via the addition of a novel, durable, external aerogel layer. The hydrophobic nature of the aerogel is an important property for maintaining thermal performance if the material is exposed to the environment (i.e. rain, snow, etc.) during ground installations. The hybrid aerogel/MLI/MMOD solution affords an attractive alternative because it will perform thermally in the same range as MLI at all vacuum levels (including high vacuum), and offers significant protection from micrometeoroid damage. During this effort, the required low-density and resilient aerogel materials have been developed that are needed to optimize the thermal performance for space (high vacuum) cryotank applications. The proposed insulation/MMOD package is composed of two sections: a stack of interleaved aerogel layers and MLI intended for cryotank thermal insulation, and a 1.5- to 1-in. (.2.5- to 3.8- cm) thick aerogel layer (on top of the insulation portion) for MMOD protection. Learning that low-density aerogel cannot withstand the hypervelocity impact test conditions, the innovators decided during the course of the program to fabricate a high-density and strong material based on a cross-linked aerogel (X-aerogel; developed elsewhere by the innovators) for MMOD protection. This system has shown a very high compressive strength that is capable of withstanding high-impact tests if a proper configuration of the MMOD aerogel layer is used. It was learned that by stacking two X-aerogel layers [1.5-in. (.3.8-cm) thick] separated by an air gap, the system would be able to hold the threat at a speed of 5 km/s and gpass h the test. The first aerogel panel stopped the projectile from damaging the second

Coated Aerogel Beads

Science.gov (United States)

Littman, Howard (Inventor); Plawsky, Joel L. (Inventor); Paccione, John D. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Methods and apparatus for coating particulate material are provided. The apparatus includes a vessel having a top and a bottom, a vertically extending conduit having an inlet in the vessel and an outlet outside of the vessel, a first fluid inlet in the bottom of the vessel for introducing a transfer fluid, a second fluid inlet in the bottom of the vessel for introducing a coating fluid, and a fluid outlet from the vessel. The method includes steps of agitating a material, contacting the material with a coating material, and drying the coating material to produce a coated material. The invention may be adapted to coat aerogel beads, among other materials. A coated aerogel bead and an aerogel-based insulation material are also disclosed.

Action of colloidal silica films on different nano-composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Abdalla

Full Text Available Nano-composite films have been the subject of extensive work to develop the energy-storage efficiency of electrostatic capacitors. Factors such as polymer purity, nano-particles size, and film morphology drastically affect the electrostatic efficiency of the dielectric material that form an insulating film between conductive electrodes of a capacitor. This in turn affects the energy storage performance of the capacitor. In the present work, we have studied the dielectric properties of 4 high pure amorphous polymer films: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, polystyrene, polyimide and poly-4-vinylpyridine. Comparison between the dielectric properties of these polymers has revealed that the higher break down performance is a character of polyimide PI and PMMA. Also, our experimental data shows that adding colloidal silica to PMMA and PI leads to a net decrease in the dielectric properties compared to the pure polymer. Keywords: Dielectric break down, Polymers, Nano-composite, Colloidal silica

Preparation and characterization of aluminium-silica metal matrix composite

Science.gov (United States)

Mallikarjuna, G. B.; Basavaraj, E.

2018-04-01

Aluminum alloys are widely used in aerospace and automobile industries due to their low density and good mechanical properties, better corrosion resistance and wear, low thermal coefficient of expansion as compared to conventional metals and alloys. The excellent properties of these materials and relatively low production cost make them a very attractive for a variety of applications. In this present work, Al alloy LM13-SiO2 composites were produced by stir casting method. The reinforcement SiO2 particle size used for preparation of composites are 106 µm, 150 µm, 250 µm and 355 µm with varying amount of 3 to 12 wt% in steps of 3. The prepared composite specimens were machined as per test standards. Effects of weight percentage of SiO2 particles on wear, tensile strength of Al alloy LM13-SiO2 composites have been investigated. The microstructures of the composites were studied to know the dispersion of the SiO2 particles in matrix. Experimental results shows that there is enhanced mechanical properties, when silica weighing 9% was added to the base aluminium alloy and also similar trend exists in all four different micron size of silica and also it has been observed that addition of SiO2 particles significantly improves wear resistance properties as compared with that of unreinforced matrix.

Aerogel Cerenkov counters at DESY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poelz, G.

1984-11-01

In high energy physics it is common to identify a charged particle and its kinematical parameters by the measurement of its momentum and its velocity. Cerenkov detectors have developed into a standard tool because they operate in the γ = (1-β 2 )sup(-1/2) range from about 1 to 100 which is not easily accessible by other devices. Pions, kaons and protons in present high energy experiments reach energies of several GeV. Threshold Cerenkov detectors for these particles need indices of refraction below 1.1 which are often produced with gases under high pressure. The design for chambers operating in this region was drasticly simplified when porous materials serving as Cerenkov radiators were invented. These chambers complement the time-of-flight counters, which cover the low energy region. Aerogel of silica is up to now the only porous substance with sufficient optical transparency. Its quality has been improved substantially in recent times so that large size detectors can be constructed. (orig.)

Core-Shell Structuring of Pure Metallic Aerogels towards Highly Efficient Platinum Utilization for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Bin; Hübner, René; Sasaki, Kotaro; Zhang, Yuanzhe; Su, Dong; Ziegler, Christoph; Vukmirovic, Miomir B; Rellinghaus, Bernd; Adzic, Radoslav R; Eychmüller, Alexander

2018-03-05

The development of core-shell structures remains a fundamental challenge for pure metallic aerogels. Here we report the synthesis of Pd x Au-Pt core-shell aerogels composed of an ultrathin Pt shell and a composition-tunable Pd x Au alloy core. The universality of this strategy ensures the extension of core compositions to Pd transition-metal alloys. The core-shell aerogels exhibited largely improved Pt utilization efficiencies for the oxygen reduction reaction and their activities show a volcano-type relationship as a function of the lattice parameter of the core substrate. The maximum mass and specific activities are 5.25 A mg Pt -1 and 2.53 mA cm -2 , which are 18.7 and 4.1 times higher than those of Pt/C, respectively, demonstrating the superiority of the core-shell metallic aerogels. The proposed core-based activity descriptor provides a new possible strategy for the design of future core-shell electrocatalysts. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A mesoporous silica composite scaffold: Cell behaviors, biomineralization and mechanical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yong; Gao, Dan; Feng, Pei; Gao, Chengde; Peng, Shuping; Ma, HaoTian; Yang, Sheng; Shuai, Cijun

2017-11-01

Mesoporous structure is beneficial to cellular response due to the large specific surface area and high pore volume. In this study, mesoporous silica (SBA15) was incorporated into poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) to construct composite scaffold by selective laser sintering. The results showed that SBA15 facilitated cells proliferation, which was mainly attributed to its unique intrinsic mesoporous structure and the released bioactive silicon. Moreover, the hydrolyzate of soluble mesoporous silica can adsorb ions to form nucleation sites that promote biomineralization, leading to improve biological activity of the composite scaffold. In addition, the compressive strength, compressive modulus and Vickers hardness of the scaffold were increased by 47.6%, 35.5% and 29.53% respectively with 1.5 wt.% SBA15. It was found that the particle enhancement of uniform distributed SBA15 accounted for the mechanic reinforcement of the composite scaffold. It indicated that the PLLA-SBA15 composite scaffold had potential applications in bone tissue engineering.

Silver-Loaded Aluminosilicate Aerogels As Iodine Sorbents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riley, Brian J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Kroll, Jared O. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Peterson, Jacob A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Matyáš, Josef [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Olszta, Matthew J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Li, Xiaohong [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Vienna, John D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States

2017-09-14

This paper discusses the development of aluminosilicates aerogels as scaffolds for Ag0 nanoparticles used for chemisorption of I2(g). The starting materials for these scaffolds included both Na-Al-Si-O and Al-Si-O aerogels, both synthesized from metal alkoxides. The Ag0 particles are added by soaking the aerogels in AgNO3 followed by drying and flowing under H2/Ar to reduce Ag+ → Ag0. In some cases, samples were soaked in 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane under supercritical CO2 to add –SH tethers to the aerogel surfaces for more effective binding of Ag+. During the Ag+-impregnation steps, for the Na-Al-Si-O aerogels, Na was replaced with Ag, and for the Al-Si-O aerogel, Si was replaced with Ag. The Ag-loading of thiolated versus non-thiolated Na-Al-Si-O aerogels was comparable at ~35 at% whereas the Ag-loading in unthiolated Al-Si-O aerogels was significantly lower at ~ 7 at% after identical treatment. Iodine loadings in both thiolated and unthiolated Ag0-functionalized Na-Al-Si-O aerogels were > 0.5 g g-1 showing almost complete utilization of the Ag through chemisorption to form AgI. Iodine loading in the thiolated Al-Si-O aerogel was 0.31 g g-1. The control of Ag uptake over solution residence time and [AgNO3] demonstrates the ability to customize the Ag-loading in the base sorbent to regulate the capacity of iodine chemisorption. Consolidation experimental results are also presented.

Nitrogen and Fluorine-Codoped Carbon Nanowire Aerogels as Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Shaofang [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Zhu, Chengzhou [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Song, Junhua [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Engelhard, Mark H. [Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Xiao, Biwei [Energy and Environmental Directory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Du, Dan [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Lin, Yuehe [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA

2017-07-11

The development of active, durable, and low-cost catalysts to replace noble metal-based materials is highly desirable to promote the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Herein, nitrogen and fluorine-codoped three-dimensional carbon nanowire aerogels, composed of interconnected carbon nanowires, were synthesized for the first time by a hydrothermal carbonization process. Owing to their porous nanostructures and heteroatom-doping, the as-prepared carbon nanowire aerogels, with optimized composition, present excellent electrocatalytic activity that is comparable to commercial Pt/C. Remarkably, the aerogels also exhibit superior stability and methanol tolerance. This synthesis procedure paves a new way to design novel heteroatomdoped catalysts.

Preparation and characterization of phloroglucinol-formaldehyde aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Changgang; China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang; Tang Yongjian; Wang Chaoyang; Yan Hongmei

2006-01-01

Phloroglucinol-formaldehyde (PF) aerogels and carbonized PF (CPF) aerogels were prepared from Phloroglucinol (P) and Formaldehyde (F) by sol-gel, solvent exchanging, supercritical drying and carbonization processes. The aerogel has a large specific surface area, continuous nano-network and porous structure. The density and mean porosity radius will enlarge after being carbonized, while the specific surface area will be influenced little. The micro-structure and density of aerogel are controlled by concentration of total reactants and catalyzer, respectively. Aerogels with different micro-structure and different density fit for ICF targets can be prepared by optimizing synthesis conditions. (authors)

Three-dimensional barium-sulfate-impregnated reduced graphene oxide aerogel for removal of strontium from aqueous solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jiseon; Lee, Dae Sung

2018-06-01

A three-dimensional barium-sulfate-impregnated reduced graphene oxide (BaSO4-rGO) aerogel was successfully synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal method and was used as an adsorbent to remove strontium from aqueous solutions. The characterized elemental composition, crystal structure, and morphology of the prepared aerogel confirmed that barium sulfate particles were firmly anchored on the surface of the rGO sheets and exhibited a porous 3D structure with a high surface area of 129.37 m2/g. The mass ratio of BaSO4 in the BaSO4-rGO aerogel substantially affected strontium adsorption, and the optimal BaSO4/rGO ratio was found to be 1:1. The synthesized BaSO4-rGO aerogel not only reached adsorption equilibrium within 1 h, but also showed much higher adsorption capacity than an rGO aerogel. The experimental data were well fitted to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption behavior followed the Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption capacity of strontium on BaSO4-rGO aerogels remained relatively high even under ionic competition in simulated seawater. These results showed that the BaSO4-rGO aerogel is an efficient and promising adsorbent for the treatment of strontium in aqueous solutions.

Recent results on prototype aerogel threshold counters for particle identification in the region: 0.5 6 4.3 GeV / c

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arisaka, K.; Borsato, E.; DalCorso, F.; Iacovella, F.; Morandin, M.; Posocco, M.; Stroili, R.; Torassa, DE.; Voci, C.; Boutigny, D.; Bonis, I. de; Favier, J.; Karyotakis, Y.; Lafaye, R.; Ferroni, F.; Mazzoni, M.A.; Morganti, S.; Piredda, G.; Santacesaria, R.; Oyang, J.

1996-01-01

The recent development of new processes has lead to the fabrication of small density silica aerogel with high optical quality. The BaBar experiment, in order to achieve its physics program, requires a good pion kaon identification capability up to 4.3 GeV/c able to work inside a 1.5 Tesla magnetic field. An aerogel threshold counter using thee combination of 2 refractive indices (1.055 and 1.007) can be used to complete the angular coverage of the particle identification system in the forward region. Different detector geometries read out by two photo-detectors types (fine mesh phototubes and Hybrid Photo-Diodes) have been considered and tested in CERN beam test. (author)

Construction of an ultra low temperature cryostat and transverse acoustic spectroscopy in superfluid helium-3 in compressed aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Bhupathi, Pradeep

An ultra low temperature cryostat is designed and implemented in this work to perform experiments at sub-millikelvin temperatures, specifically aimed at understanding the superfluid phases of 3He in various scenarios. The cryostat is a combination of a dilution refrigerator (Oxford Kelvinox 400) with a base temperature of 5.2 mK and a 48 mole copper block as the adiabatic nuclear demagnetization stage with a lowest temperature of ≈ 200 muK. With the various techniques implemented for limiting the ambient heat leak to the cryostat, we were able to stay below 1 mK for longer than 5 weeks. The details of design, construction and performance of the cryostat are presented. We measured high frequency shear acoustic impedance in superfluid 3He in 98% porosity aerogel at pressures of 29 bar and 32 bar in magnetic fields upto 3 kG with the aerogel cylinder compressed along the symmetry axis to generate global anisotropy. With 5% compression, there is an indication of a supercooled A-like to B-like transition in aerogel in a wider temperature width than the A phase in the bulk, while at 10% axial compression, the A-like to B-like transition is absent on cooling down to ≈ 300 muK in zero magnetic field and in magnetic fields up to 3 kG. This behavior is in contrast to that in 3He in uncompressed aerogels, in which the supercooled A-like to B-like transitions have been identified by various experimental techniques. Our result is consistent with theoretical predictions. To characterize the anisotropy in compressed aerogels, optical birefringence is measured in 98% porosity silica aerogel samples subjected to various degrees of uniaxial compression up to 15% strain, with wavelengths between 200 to 800 nm. Uncompressed aerogels exhibit no or a minimal degree of birefringence, indicating the isotropic nature of the material over the length scale of the wavelength. Uniaxial compression of aerogel introduces global anisotropy, which produces birefringence in the material. We

Fibrous composites comprising carbon nanotubes and silica

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Huisheng [Shanghai, CN; Zhu, Yuntian Theodore [Cary, NC; Peterson, Dean E [Los Alamos, NM; Jia, Quanxi [Los Alamos, NM

2011-10-11

Fibrous composite comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and a silica-containing moiety having one of the structures: (SiO).sub.3Si--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--NR.sub.1R.sub.2) or (SiO).sub.3Si--(CH.sub.2).sub.n--NCO; where n is from 1 to 6, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently H, CH.sub.3, or C.sub.2H.sub.5.

Infiltrated carbon foam composites

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Rick D. (Inventor); Danford, Harry E. (Inventor); Plucinski, Janusz W. (Inventor); Merriman, Douglas J. (Inventor); Blacker, Jesse M. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

An infiltrated carbon foam composite and method for making the composite is described. The infiltrated carbon foam composite may include a carbonized carbon aerogel in cells of a carbon foam body and a resin is infiltrated into the carbon foam body filling the cells of the carbon foam body and spaces around the carbonized carbon aerogel. The infiltrated carbon foam composites may be useful for mid-density ablative thermal protection systems.

Hydrogen storage property of nanoporous carbon aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Jun; Liu Nianping; Ouyang Ling; Zhou Bin; Wu Guangming; Ni Xingyuan; Zhang Zhihua

2011-01-01

Carbon aerogels were prepared from resorcinol and formaldehyde via sol-gel process, high temperature carbonization and atmospheric pressure drying technology with solvent replacement. By changing the resorcinol-sodium carbonate molar ratio and the mass fraction of the reactants,resorcinol and formaldehyde, the pore structure of carbon aerogels can be controlled and the palladium-doped carbon aerogels were prepared.By transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, it is confirmed that the Pd exists in the skeleton structure of carbon aerogels as a form of nano simple substance pellet. The specific surface area is successfully raised by 2 times, and palladium-doped carbon aerogels with a specific surface area of 1 273 m 2 /g have been obtained by carrying out the activation process as the post-processing to the doped carbon aerogels. The hydrogen adsorption results show that the saturated hydrogen storage mass fraction of the carbon aerogels with the specific surface area of 3 212 m 2 /g is 3% in the condition of 92 K, 3.5 MPa, and 0.84% in the condition of 303 K, 3.2 MPa. In addition, the hydrogen adsorption test of palladium-doped carbon aerogels at room temperature (303 K) shows that the total hydrogen storage capacity of doped carbon aerogels is declined due to the relative small specific surface, but the hydrogen storage of unit specific surface area is enhanced. (authors)

Development of aerogel Cherenkov counters at Novosibirsk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnyakov, A.Yu.; Barnyakov, M.Yu.; Baehr, J.; Bellunato, T.; Beloborodov, K.I.; Bobrovnikov, V.S.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Calvi, M.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Djordjadze, V.; Golubev, V.B.; Kononov, S.A.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Lipka, D.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Onuchin, A.P.; Perego, D.; Rodiakin, V.A.; Savinov, G.A.; Serednyakov, S.I.; Shamov, A.G.; Stephan, F.; Tayursky, V.A.; Vorobiov, A.I.

2006-01-01

The work on aerogel Cherenkov counters was started in Novosibirsk in 1986. Production of aerogels with refractive indices of 1.006-1.13 and thicknesses of blocks up to 50mm was developed. The light absorption length at 400nm is 5-7m, the scattering length is 4-5cm. By these parameters, the Novosibirsk aerogel is one of the best in the world. The ASHIPH Cherenkov counters with light collection on wavelength shifters have been developed. The ASHIPH system of the KEDR detector contains 1000l of aerogel. The π/K separation is 4.5σ. A project of ASHIPH counters for the SND detector has been developed. Aerogel RICH for LHCb gives a possibility to identify hadrons in the momentum range of 2-10GeV/c. The Novosibirsk group is developing an aerogel RICH for the endcap for the SuperBaBar project. Calculations performed by a group of physicists from Novosibirsk and DESY-Zeuthen have shown that aerogel radiators enable to achieve time resolution up to 20fs

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/cellulose nanofibril hybrid aerogels with an aligned microtubular porous structure and their composites with polydimethylsiloxane

Science.gov (United States)

Tianliang Zhai; Qifeng Zheng; Zhiyong Cai; Lih-Sheng Turng; Hesheng Xia; Shaoqin Gong

2015-01-01

Superhydrophobic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/ cellulose nanofibril (CNF) aerogels with a unidirectionally aligned microtubular porous structure were prepared using a unidirectional freeze-drying process, followed by the thermal chemical vapor deposition of methyltrichlorosilane. The silanized aerogels were characterized using various techniques including scanning...

Microstructure and Transparent Super-Hydrophobic Performance of Vacuum Cold-Sprayed Al2O3 and SiO2 Aerogel Composite Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Zhang, Yu; Ma, Kai; Pan, Xi-De; Li, Cheng-Xin; Yang, Guan-Jun; Li, Chang-Jiu

2018-02-01

In this study, vacuum cold spraying was used as a simple and fast way to prepare transparent super-hydrophobic coatings. Submicrometer-sized Al2O3 powder modified by 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyltriethoxysilane and mixed with hydrophobic SiO2 aerogel was employed for the coating deposition. The deposition mechanisms of pure Al2O3 powder and Al2O3-SiO2 mixed powder were examined, and the effects of powder structure on the hydrophobicity and light transmittance of the coatings were evaluated. The results showed that appropriate contents of SiO2 aerogel in the mixed powder could provide sufficient cushioning to the deposition of submicrometer Al2O3 powder during spraying. The prepared composite coating surface showed rough structures with a large number of submicrometer convex deposited particles, characterized by being super-hydrophobic. Also, the transmittance of the obtained coating was higher than 80% in the range of visible light.

Effect of Molecular Weight on the Properties of Liquid Epoxidized Natural Rubber Acrylate (LENRA)/ Silica Hybrid Composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eda Yuhana Ariffin; Azizan Ahmad; Dahlan Mohd; Mahathir Mohamed

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the effect of molecular weight on the morphological and mechanical properties of liquid epoxidized natural rubber acrylate (LENRA)/ silica hybrid composites prepared by sol-gel technique. The sol-gel reaction was conducted at different concentration of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), used as a precursor of silica. TEOS were introduced in 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 parts per hundred rubber (phr) in the composites. Two different molecular weights of ENR were used to study the effect of molecular weight on the mechanical and morphological properties of the compounds. These compounds were cured by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The mechanical properties were studied through pendulum hardness and scratch tests. Higher molecular weight of ENR showed better mechanical properties than lower molecular weight. Transmission electron microscope was used to determine the silica size and to study the distribution and dispersion of the silica particles. High molecular weight showed greater distribution and dispersion of silica particles with diameter of 13 - 256 nm. Morphological and mechanical properties of LENRA/ silica hybrid composites were improved by using high molecular weight of ENR. (author)

Copper Ferrocyanide Functionalized Core-Shell Magnetic Silica Composites for the Selective Removal of Cesium Ions from Radioactive Liquid Waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun Kyu; Yang, Da Som; Oh, Wonzin; Choi, Sang-June

2016-06-01

The copper ferrocyanide functionalized core-shell magnetic silica composite (mag@silica-CuFC) was prepared and was found to be easily separated from aqueous solutions by using magnetic field. The synthesized mag@silica-CuFC composite has a high sorption ability of Cs owing to its strong affinity for Cs as well as the high surface area of the supports. Cs sorption on the mag@silica-CuFC composite quickly reached the sorption equilibrium after 2 h of contact time. The effect of the presence of salts with a high concentration of up to 3.5 wt% on the efficiency of Cs sorption onto the composites was also studied. The maximum sorption ability was found to be maintained in the presence of up to 3.5 wt% of NaCl in the solution. Considering these results, the mag@silica-CuFC composite has great potential for use as an effective sorbent for the selective removal of radioactive Cs ions.

FTIR and morphology of liquid epoxidized natural rubber acrylate (LENRA)/silica hybrid composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eda Yuhana Ariffin; Azizan Ahmad; Dahlan Mohd; Mahathir Mohamed

2009-01-01

Synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid composites was carried out by combination of liquid epoxidized natural rubber acrylate (LENRA) and silica. Silica was introduce to the matrix by sol gel technique. The sol-gel technique was employed to prepare silica using tetraethyorthosilicate (TEOS) as precursor. HDDA and irga cure 184 were added to the formulations as reactive diluents and photosensitizer, respectively. The chemical modification was studied by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The morphological studies were conducted by the optical and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). It shows that silica was dispersed very well in the matrix for lower concentration of TEOS while agglomeration occurs at the higher concentration. The average particles size of silica were less than 100 nm. (Author)

Vapour-phase method in the synthesis of polymer-ibuprofen sodium-silica gel composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kierys, Agnieszka; Krasucka, Patrycja; Grochowicz, Marta

2017-11-01

The study discusses the synthesis of polymer-silica composites comprising water soluble drug (ibuprofen sodium, IBS). The polymers selected for this study were poly(TRIM) and poly(HEMA- co -TRIM) produced in the form of permanently porous beads via the suspension-emulsion polymerization method. The acid and base set ternary composites were prepared by the saturation of the solid dispersions of drug (poly(TRIM)-IBS and/or poly(HEMA- co -TRIM)-IBS) with TEOS, and followed by their exposition to the vapour mixture of water and ammonia, or water and hydrochloric acid, at autogenous pressure. The conducted analyses reveal that the internal structure and total porosity of the resulting composites strongly depend on the catalyst which was used for silica precursor gelation. The parameters characterizing the porosity of both of the acid set composites are much lower than the parameters of the base set composites. Moreover, the basic catalyst supplied in the vapour phase does not affect the ibuprofen sodium molecules, whereas the acid one causes transformation of the ibuprofen sodium into the sodium chloride and a derivative of propanoic acid, which is poorly water soluble. The release profiles of ibuprofen sodium from composites demonstrate that there are differences in the rate and efficiency of drug desorption from them. They are mainly affected by the chemical character of the polymeric carrier but are also associated with the restricted swelling of the composites in the buffer solution after precipitation of silica gel.

Vapour-phase method in the synthesis of polymer-ibuprofen sodium-silica gel composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Kierys

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The study discusses the synthesis of polymer-silica composites comprising water soluble drug (ibuprofen sodium, IBS. The polymers selected for this study were poly(TRIM and poly(HEMA-co-TRIM produced in the form of permanently porous beads via the suspension-emulsion polymerization method. The acid and base set ternary composites were prepared by the saturation of the solid dispersions of drug (poly(TRIM-IBS and/or poly(HEMA-co-TRIM-IBS with TEOS, and followed by their exposition to the vapour mixture of water and ammonia, or water and hydrochloric acid, at autogenous pressure. The conducted analyses reveal that the internal structure and total porosity of the resulting composites strongly depend on the catalyst which was used for silica precursor gelation. The parameters characterizing the porosity of both of the acid set composites are much lower than the parameters of the base set composites. Moreover, the basic catalyst supplied in the vapour phase does not affect the ibuprofen sodium molecules, whereas the acid one causes transformation of the ibuprofen sodium into the sodium chloride and a derivative of propanoic acid, which is poorly water soluble. The release profiles of ibuprofen sodium from composites demonstrate that there are differences in the rate and efficiency of drug desorption from them. They are mainly affected by the chemical character of the polymeric carrier but are also associated with the restricted swelling of the composites in the buffer solution after precipitation of silica gel.

Aerogels: II. Applications in catalysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orlović Aleksandar M.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Sol-gel synthesis, and the resulting materials (xerogels and aerogels are finding increasing application in the synthesis of catalysts, due to their unique characteristics. The most important features of the sol-gel process are: the ability to achieve homogeneity at the molecular level, the introduction of several species in only one step and the ability to stabilize metastable phases. The supercritical drying process produces aerogels with structural features quite different to conventional materials. Some of these characteristics of aerogels can make them very effective catalysts.

Preparation of ZrW{sub 2}O{sub 8} xerogel and aerogels by sol-gel chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noailles, L.; Dunn, B.; Larson, D. [Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Starkovich, J.; Peng, H. [Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Redondo Beach, CA (United States)

2004-07-01

Xerogels and aerogels with the composition ZrW{sub 2}O{sub 8} have been synthesized using sol-gel chemistry. For the xerogel, trigonal phase is formed at 650 C and the cubic phase forms above 1100 C in less than 30 seconds. Aerogels have been prepared with an average pore diameter of 110 Aa and a surface area of 510 m{sup 2}g{sup -1}. (orig.)

Carbon aerogels by pyrolysis of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Sizhao; Feng, Jian; Feng, Junzong; Jiang, Yonggang; Ding, Feng

2018-05-01

Although carbon aerogels derived from naturally occurring materials have been developed extensively, a reasonable synthetic approach using cellulose-resource remains unclear. Here, we report a strategy to prepare carbon aerogels originated from cellulose position-selectively oxidized by TEMPO-oxidized process. Contrary to non-TEMPO-oxidized cellulose-derived carbon aerogels (NCCA) with relative loose structure, TEMPO-oxidized cellulose-derived carbon aerogels (TCCA) with tight fibrillar-continuous network are monitored, suggesting the importance of TEMPO-oxidized modification towards creating the architecture of subsequently produced carbon aerogels. TCCA endows a higher BET area despite owning slightly dense bulk density comparing with that of NCCA. The structural texture of TCCA could be maintained in a way in comparison to TEMPO-oxidized cellulose-derived aerogel, due to the integration and aggregation effect by losing the electric double layer repulsion via ionization of the surface carboxyl groups. FTIR and XPS analyses signify the evidence of non-functionalized carbon-skeleton network formation in terms of TCCA. Further, the mechanism concerning the creation of carbon aerogels is also established. These findings not only provide new insights into the production of carbon aerogels but also open up a new opportunity in the field of functional carbon materials.

Aerogels from Chitosan Solutions in Ionic Liquids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo Santos-López

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Chitosan aerogels conjugates the characteristics of nanostructured porous materials, i.e., extended specific surface area and nano scale porosity, with the remarkable functional properties of chitosan. Aerogels were obtained from solutions of chitosan in ionic liquids (ILs, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (BMIMAc, and 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate (EMIMAc, in order to observe the effect of the solvent in the structural characteristics of this type of materials. The process of elaboration of aerogels comprised the formation of physical gels through anti-solvent vapor diffusion, liquid phase exchange, and supercritical CO2 drying. The aerogels maintained the chemical identity of chitosan according to Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR spectroscopy, indicating the presence of their characteristic functional groups. The internal structure of the obtained aerogels appears as porous aggregated networks in microscopy images. The obtained materials have specific surface areas over 350 m2/g and can be considered mesoporous. According to swelling experiments, the chitosan aerogels could absorb between three and six times their weight of water. However, the swelling and diffusion coefficient decreased at higher temperatures. The structural characteristics of chitosan aerogels that are obtained from ionic liquids are distinctive and could be related to solvation dynamic at the initial state.

Jordanian silica sand and cement as a reinforcement material for polystyrene matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jalham, S. I.

1999-01-01

The behaviour of polystyrene matrix composites with different percentages of Jordaanian Silica Sand as a Reinforcement Materials (0, 5, 25, 50, and 75 wt%) and different mean grain sizes of sand particles (60, 75, 85, and 300μ m) and with cement as a boning materials in the amount fo 1/6 wt% of the wt% of silica sand were manufactured and tested under compression loading in the Industrial Engineering Department as the Uninersity of Jordan as a part of large study on local materials. The main conclusions of this investigation are: a long-term, durable structure of the polystyrene composite reinforced by silica sand and cement was achieved by mixing the constituents with water; the higher the volume fraction of the reinforcement, the higher the volume fraction of reinforcement, the higher the strength while for 75% of reinforcement, the strength dropped to an amount less than that of the matrix; the higher the grain size, the higher the strength; longitudinal brittle fracture was observed for the composites, and a homogeneous distribution of the sand particles helped in increasing the strength of the composite by playing an important role in distributing the applied load. (author). 11 refs., 6 tabs, 2 figs

Mechanical properties of dental resin composites by co-filling diatomite and nanosized silica particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hua; Zhu Meifang; Li Yaogang; Zhang Qinghong; Wang Hongzhi

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical property effects of co-filling dental resin composites with porous diatomite and nanosized silica particles (OX-50). The purification of raw diatomite by acid-leaching was conducted in a hot 5 M HCl solution at 80 deg. C for 12 h. Both diatomite and nanosized SiO 2 were silanized with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The silanized inorganic particles were mixed into a dimethacrylate resin. Purified diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and an N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. Silanized inorganic particles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a thermogravimetric analysis. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested by three-point bending, compression and Vicker's microhardness. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show the cross-section morphologies of the composites. Silanization of diatomite and nanosized silica positively reinforced interactions between the resin matrix and the inorganic particles. The mechanical properties of the resin composites gradually increased with the addition of modified diatomite (m-diatomite). The fracture surfaces of the composites exhibited large fracture steps with the addition of m-diatomite. However, when the mass fraction of m-diatomite was greater than 21 wt.% with respect to modified nanosized silica (mOX-50) and constituted 70% of the resin composite by weight, the mechanical properties of the resin composites started to decline. Thus, the porous structure of diatomite appears to be a crucial factor to improve mechanical properties of resin composites.

The Effect of Aging and Silanization on the Mechanical Properties of Fumed Silica-based Dental Composite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaje S

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Statement of Problem: Mechanical strength and durability of dental composites are the main topics studied in this field of science today. This study examined fumed silica-based composite as a strong and durable restorative material through flexural and cycling test methods. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of silanization, ageing, cycling and hybridizing on mechanical properties of fumed silica-based resin composite. Materials and Methods: Composites were made of light-cured copolymer based on Bisphenol A glycolmethacrylate (Bis-GMA and Triethylene glycoldimethacrylate (TEGDMA at proportion of 50:50 which reinforced by fumed silica filler. For each composite sample, 5 specimen bars were made using Teflon mould (2 x 2 x 25 mm3. The samples with 12 wt% fumed silica (FS were considered as a base line group. The samples were exposed to cyclic cold water (FS-CCW and hot water (FS-CHW. The effect of silanization and adding more filler was studied together with samples containing 12 wt% (FS-S (12, 16 wt% (FS-S (16 and 20 wt% (FS-S (20 fumed silica filler. The filler was silanized with (γ-MPS. The degree of conversion was assessed with Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy. Flexural properties were evaluated with the Three-Point Bending test. Flexural data were analyzed with Excel software. Hardness was measured with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM. Results: The degree of conversion of the resin reached 74% within 24 hrs. Salinization allowed more filler to be wetted by resin. Addition of silanized particles from sample FS-S (12 to sample FS-S (20 improved the mechanical strength. Hybridizing fumed silica with nano-silica (FS-N had no significant effect on the strength, but nano-hardness improved greatly. Ageing and cycling had adverse effects on the strength of the sample FS. The flexural strength of FS-CHW was 72% less than FS sample. Conclusions: Sample FS-N with low diluent and filler percentage complied with the

Fabrication of epoxy composites with large-pore sized mesoporous silica and investigation of their thermal expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Norihiro; Kiba, Shosuke; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2012-02-01

We fabricate epoxy composites with low thermal expansion by using mesoporous silica particles with a large pore diameter (around 10 nm) as inorganic fillers. From a simple calculation, almost all the mesopores are estimated to be completely filled with the epoxy polymer. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) values of the obtained epoxy composites proportionally decrease with the increase of the mesoporous silica content.

Solution electrospinning of particle-polymer composite fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Fojan, Peter

2016-01-01

-scale, is produced. The maximum polymer-silica weight-ratio yielding stable fibres has also been determined. The morphology of the fibres at different weight ratios has been investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Low aerogel concentrations yield few particles located in polymer...

High strength air-dried aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Coronado, Paul R.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.

2012-11-06

A method for the preparation of high strength air-dried organic aerogels. The method involves the sol-gel polymerization of organic gel precursors, such as resorcinol with formaldehyde (RF) in aqueous solvents with R/C ratios greater than about 1000 and R/F ratios less than about 1:2.1. Using a procedure analogous to the preparation of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) aerogels, this approach generates wet gels that can be air dried at ambient temperatures and pressures. The method significantly reduces the time and/or energy required to produce a dried aerogel compared to conventional methods using either supercritical solvent extraction. The air dried gel exhibits typically less than 5% shrinkage.

Development of aerogel Cherenkov detectors at Novosibirsk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnyakov, A.Yu.; Barnyakov, M.Yu.; Baehr, J.; Bellunato, T.; Beloborodov, K.I.; Bobrovnikov, V.S.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Calvi, M.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Djordjadze, V.; Golubev, V.B.; Kononov, S.A.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Lipka, D.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Onuchin, A.P.; Perego, D.; Rodiakin, V.A.; Savinov, G.A.; Serednyakov, S.I.; Shamov, A.G.; Stephan, F.; Tayursky, V.A.; Vorobiov, A.I.

2005-01-01

The development of aerogel Cherenkov counters with the light collection using a wavelength shifter is described. 80 counters of this type are working in the KEDR detector. A project of similar counters for the SND detector based on 'heavy' aerogel with n=1.13 has been developed. Aerogel with a refractive index of 1.006-1.13 and dimensions of blocks up to 200x200x50mm 3 is produced by the Novosibirsk group for use in Cherenkov counters of different types. The Novosibirsk group is participating in the development of LHCb RICH as well as a beam diagnostics for a photo-injector test facility at DESY-Zeuthen. Recently we started development of RICH based on focusing aerogel (FARICH) for the endcap of the SuperBaBar. For the first time in the world the focusing aerogel with layers of different refractive indices has been produced

Mechanical properties of dental resin composites by co-filling diatomite and nanosized silica particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Hua; Zhu Meifang [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Li Yaogang [Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, MOE, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Zhang Qinghong, E-mail: zhangqh@dhu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, MOE, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Wang Hongzhi, E-mail: wanghz@dhu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China)

2011-04-08

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical property effects of co-filling dental resin composites with porous diatomite and nanosized silica particles (OX-50). The purification of raw diatomite by acid-leaching was conducted in a hot 5 M HCl solution at 80 deg. C for 12 h. Both diatomite and nanosized SiO{sub 2} were silanized with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The silanized inorganic particles were mixed into a dimethacrylate resin. Purified diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and an N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherm. Silanized inorganic particles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a thermogravimetric analysis. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested by three-point bending, compression and Vicker's microhardness. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show the cross-section morphologies of the composites. Silanization of diatomite and nanosized silica positively reinforced interactions between the resin matrix and the inorganic particles. The mechanical properties of the resin composites gradually increased with the addition of modified diatomite (m-diatomite). The fracture surfaces of the composites exhibited large fracture steps with the addition of m-diatomite. However, when the mass fraction of m-diatomite was greater than 21 wt.% with respect to modified nanosized silica (mOX-50) and constituted 70% of the resin composite by weight, the mechanical properties of the resin composites started to decline. Thus, the porous structure of diatomite appears to be a crucial factor to improve mechanical properties of resin composites.

Novel polybenzoxazine-based carbon aerogel electrode for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katanyoota, Porawee [Petroleum and Petrochemical College and National Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Chaisuwan, Thayanlak, E-mail: thanyalak.c@hotmail.co [Petroleum and Petrochemical College and National Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Wongchaisuwat, Atchana [Department of Chemistry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Wongkasemjit, Sujitra, E-mail: dsujitra@chula.ac.t [Petroleum and Petrochemical College and National Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2010-02-25

In this study, polybenzoxazine, a new high performance thermosetting resin, was used to prepare carbon aerogels used as an electrode for supercapacitors. Two types of polybenzoxazines, derived from two different amines, aniline and triethylenetetramine, and denoted as BA-a and BA-teta, respectively, were chosen as the reactants for the organic precursor preparation. The surface area of carbon aerogels from both BA-a and BA-teta was 391 and 368 m{sup 2}/g, respectively. The pore size of each carbon aerogel was in the range of 2-5 nm, which is a suitable pore size for use as electrodes in electrochemical applications. The electrochemical properties of the obtained carbon aerogels showed good performance for supercapacitor applications with a specific capacitance of 55.78 and 20.53 F/g for BA-teta and BA-a, respectively. At low voltage scanning, 1 and 5 mV/s, the cyclic voltammogram of the carbon aerogel derived from BA-teta gave a better rectangular shape than that of the other carbon aerogel. The impedance spectra of both carbon aerogels confirmed the results of the capacitance and the cyclic voltammogram analyses.

Novel polybenzoxazine-based carbon aerogel electrode for supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katanyoota, Porawee; Chaisuwan, Thayanlak; Wongchaisuwat, Atchana; Wongkasemjit, Sujitra

2010-01-01

In this study, polybenzoxazine, a new high performance thermosetting resin, was used to prepare carbon aerogels used as an electrode for supercapacitors. Two types of polybenzoxazines, derived from two different amines, aniline and triethylenetetramine, and denoted as BA-a and BA-teta, respectively, were chosen as the reactants for the organic precursor preparation. The surface area of carbon aerogels from both BA-a and BA-teta was 391 and 368 m 2 /g, respectively. The pore size of each carbon aerogel was in the range of 2-5 nm, which is a suitable pore size for use as electrodes in electrochemical applications. The electrochemical properties of the obtained carbon aerogels showed good performance for supercapacitor applications with a specific capacitance of 55.78 and 20.53 F/g for BA-teta and BA-a, respectively. At low voltage scanning, 1 and 5 mV/s, the cyclic voltammogram of the carbon aerogel derived from BA-teta gave a better rectangular shape than that of the other carbon aerogel. The impedance spectra of both carbon aerogels confirmed the results of the capacitance and the cyclic voltammogram analyses.

Nafion®/ODF-silica composite membranes for medium temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Treekamol, Yaowapa

2014-01-01

A series of composite membranes were prepared by dispersing fluorinated polyoxadiazole oligomer (ODF)-functionalized silica nanoparticles in a Nafion matrix. Both melt-extrusion and solvent casting processes were explored. Ion exchange capacity, conductivity, water uptake and dimensional stability, thermal stability and morphology were characterized. The inclusion of functionalized nanoparticles proved advantageous, mainly due to a physical crosslinking effect and better water retention, with functionalized nanoparticles performing better than the pristine silica particles. For the same filler loading, better nanoparticle dispersion was achieved for solvent-cast membranes, resulting in higher proton conductivity. Filler agglomeration, however,was more severe for solvent-castmembranes at loadings beyond 5wt.%. The composite membranes showed excellent thermal stability, allowing for operation in medium temperature PEM fuel cells. Fuel cell performance of the compositemembranesdecreaseswithdecreasing relativehumidity, but goodperformance values are still obtained at 34% RHand 90 °C,with the best results obtained for solvent castmembranes loaded with 10 wt.% ODF-functionalized silica. Hydrogen crossover of the composite membranes is higher than that forpureNafion membranes,possiblydue toporosityresulting fromsuboptimalparticle- matrixcompatibility. © 2013 Crown Copyright and Elsevier BV. All rights reserved.

Aerogel for FARICH detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnyakov, A.Yu. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Barnyakov, M.Yu. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State Technical University, Karl Marks 20, Novosibirsk 630073 (Russian Federation); Bobrovnikov, V.S.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Gulevich, V.V. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Danilyuk, A.F. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Lavrentieva 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kononov, S.A.; Kravchenko, E.A. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Kuyanov, I.A. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Lopatin, S.A. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Lavrentieva 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Onuchin, A.P.; Ovtin, I.V.; Podgornov, N.A. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Novosibirsk State Technical University, Karl Marks 20, Novosibirsk 630073 (Russian Federation); Porosev, V.V. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Lavrentieva 11, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Predein, A.Yu.; Protsenko, R.S. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Lavrentieva 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation)

2014-12-01

We present our current experience in preparation of focusing aerogels for the Focusing Aerogel RICH detector. Multilayer focusing aerogel tiles have been produced in Novosibirsk by a collaboration of the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics and Boreskov Institute of Catalysis since 2004. We have obtained 2–3–4-layer blocks with the thickness of 30–45 mm. In 2012, the first samples of focusing blocks with continuous density (refractive index) gradient along thickness were produced. This technology can significantly reduce the contribution from the geometric factor of the radiator thickness to the resolution of the measured Cherenkov angle in the FARICH detector. The special installation was used for automatic control of reagents ratio during the synthesis process. The first samples were tested using the digital radiography method and on the electron beam with the FARICH prototype.

Preparation of EVA/silica nano composites characterized with solid state nuclear magnetic resonance; Obtencao de nanocomposito de EVA/SILICA e caracterizacao por ressonancia magnetica nuclear no estado solido

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Passos, Adriano A; Tavares, Maria I.B.; Neto, Roberto C.P.; Moreira, Leonardo A; Ferreira, Antonio G., E-mail: mibt@ima.ufrj.br [Centro de Tecnologia, Instituto de Macromoleculas Professora Eloisa Mano, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Nano composites of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/silica (SiO{sub 2}) with dimensions of ca. 40 nm were prepared via solution intercalation employing chloroform as a solvent. They were mainly characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) employing carbon-13 (polymeric matrix), silicon-29 (nanoparticles) and through the determination of the proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T{sub 1{rho}H}) (polymer matrix). From the NMR results it was inferred that up to 5% of silica in mass a well dispersed nano composite was obtained, owing to a strong interaction between silica and the EVA matrix. (author)

Silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofiber composites for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, So Yeun; Kim, Bo-Hye

2016-10-01

A hybrid of silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) is fabricated in the form of a web via electrospinning and an activation process as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors in an organic electrolyte. The introduction of PhSiH3 (PS) into the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution induces a porous ACNF structure containing silica nanoparticles (NPs) via the spontaneous sol-gel process of PS by steam in the subsequent physical activation process. These inorganic-organic hybrid composites of porous ACNF containing silica NPs show superior specific capacitance and energy density in electrochemical tests, along with good rate capability and excellent cycle life in an organic electrolyte, which is attributed to the combination of ACNF's high surface area and silica's hydrophilicity. The electrochemical performance decreases with increasing PS concentration, and this trend is consistent with the specific surface area results, which reveal the rapid formation of a double layer.

Mechanically Strong Lightweight Materials for Aerospace Applications (x-aerogels)

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas

2005-01-01

The X-Aerogel is a new NASA-developed strong lightweight material made by reacting the mesoporous surfaces of 3-D networks of inorganic nanoparticles with polymeric crosslinkers. Since the relative amount of the crosslinker and the backbone are comparable, X-Aerogels can be viewed either as aerogels modified by templated accumulation of polymer on the skeletal nanoparticles, or as nanoporous polymers made by templated casting of polymeric precursors on a nanostructured framework. The most striking feature of X-Aerogels is that for a nominal 3-fold increase in density (still a ultralightweight material), the mechanical strength can be up to 300 times higher than the strength of the underlying native aerogel. Thus, X-Aerogels combine a multiple of the specific compressive strength of steel, with the thermal conductivity of styrofoam. XAerogels have been demonstrated with several polymers such as polyurethanes/polyureas, epoxies and polyolefins, while crosslinking of approximately 35 different oxide aerogels yields a wide variety of dimensionally stable, porous lightweight materials with interesting structural, magnetic and optical properties. X-Aerogels are evaluated for cryogenic rocket fuel storage tanks and for Advanced EVA suits, where they will play the dual role of the thermal insulator/structural material. Along the same lines, major impact is also expected by the use of X-Aerogels in structural components/thermal protection for small satellites, spacecrafts, planetary vehicles and habitats.

Fabrication of mesoporous silica/polymer composites through solvent evaporation process and investigation of their excellent low thermal expansion property.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Norihiro; Kiba, Shosuke; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2011-03-21

We fabricate mesoporous silica/epoxy polymer composites through a solvent evaporation process. The easy penetration of the epoxy polymers into mesopores is achieved by using a diluted polymer solution including a volatile organic solvent. After the complete solvent evaporation, around 90% of the mesopores are estimated to be filled with the epoxy polymer chains. Here we carefully investigate the thermal expansion behavior of the obtained mesoporous silica/polymer composites. Thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) charts revealed that coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) gradually decreases, as the amount of the doped mesoporous silica increases. Compared with spherical silica particle without mesopores, mesoporous silica particles show a greater effect on lowering the CTE values. Interestingly, it is found that the CTE values are proportionally decreased with the decrease of the total amount of the polymers outside the mesopores. These data demonstrate that polymers embedded inside the mesopores become thermally stable, and do not greatly contribute to the thermal expansion behavior of the composites.

Cycling of lithium/metal oxide cells using composite electrolytes containing fumed silicas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jian; Fedkiw, Peter S.

2003-01-01

The effect on cycle capacity is reported of cathode material (metal oxide, carbon, and current collector) in lithium/metal oxide cells cycled with fumed silica-based composite electrolytes. Three types of electrolytes are compared: filler-free electrolyte consisting of methyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) oligomer (PEGdm, M w =250)+lithium bis(trifluromethylsufonyl)imide (LiTFSI) (Li:O=1:20), and two composite systems of the above baseline liquid electrolyte containing 10-wt% A200 (hydrophilic fumed silica) or R805 (hydrophobic fumed silica with octyl surface group). The composite electrolytes are solid-like gels. Three cathode active materials (LiCoO 2 , V 6 O 13 , and Li x MnO 2 ), four conducting carbons (graphite Timrex [reg] SFG 15, SFG 44, carbon black Vulcan XC72R, and Ketjenblack EC-600JD), and three current collector materials (Al, Ni, and carbon fiber) were studied. Cells with composite electrolytes show higher capacity, reduced capacity fade, and less cell polarization than those with filler-free electrolyte. Among the three active materials studied, V 6 O 13 cathodes deliver the highest capacity and Li x MnO 2 cathodes render the best capacity retention. Discharge capacity of Li/LiCoO 2 cells is affected greatly by cathode carbon type, and the capacity decreases in the order of Ketjenblack>SFG 15>SFG 44>Vulcan. Current collector material also plays a significant role in cell cycling performance. Lithium/vanadium oxide (V 6 O 13 ) cells deliver increased capacity using Ni foil and carbon fiber current collectors in comparison to an Al foil current collector

Effects of Microgravity on the Formation of Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, A. J.; Ayers, M. R.; Sibille, L.; Cronise, R. J.; Noever, D. A.

1999-01-01

This paper describes research to investigate fundamental aspects of the effects of microgravity on the formation of the microstructure of metal oxide alcogels and aerogels. We are studying the role of gravity on pore structure and gel uniformity in collaboration with Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) on gelling systems under microgravity conditions. While this project was just initiated in May 1998, related research performed earlier is described along with the plans and rationale for the current microgravity investigation to provide background and describe newly developing techniques that should be useful for the current gellation studies. The role of gravity in materials processing must be investigated through the study of well-mastered systems. Sol-gel processed materials are near-perfect candidates to determine the effect of gravity on the formation and growth of random clusters from hierarchies of aggregated units. The processes of hydrolysis, condensation, aggregation and gellation in the formation of alcogels are affected by gravity and therefore provide a rich system to study under microgravity conditions. Supercritical drying of the otherwise unstable wet alcogel preserves the alcogel structure produced during sol-gel processing as aerogel. Supercritically dried aerogel provides for the study of material microstructures without interference from the effects of surface tension, evaporation, and solvent flow. Aerogels are microstructured, low density open-pore solids. They have many unusual properties including: transparency, excellent thermal resistance, high surface area, very low refractive index, a dielectric constant approaching that of air, and extremely low sound velocity. Aerogels are synthesized using sol-gel processing followed by supercritical solvent extraction that leaves the original gel structure virtually intact. These studies will elucidate the effects of microgravity on the homogeneity of the microstructure and porosity of aerogel. The

Transparent aerogel Windows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev; Schultz, Jørgen Munthe

the supercritical washing step included in the drying phase. At the same time the production plant have been modified to recycle most of the chemicals involved in the production process. A large number of aerogel glazing prototypes have been made with partly evacuated aerogel in between two layers of low iron...... and anti reflection treated glass panes with an airtight edge seal solution based on multi-layered plastic foil developed for vacuum insulation purposes. The edge seal solution shows only a very limited thermal bridge effect. The final glazing has a total solar energy transmittance about 87% and a U...

Luminescent Polymer Electrolyte Composites Using Silica Coated-Y2O3:Eu as Fillers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikrajuddin Abdullah

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Luminescent polymer electrolyte composites composed of silica coated Y2O3:Eu in polyethylene glycol (PEG matrix has been produced by initially synthesizing silica coated Y2O3:Eu and mixing with polyethylene glycol in a lithium salt solution. High luminescence intensity at round 600 nm contributed by electron transitions in Eu3+ (5D0 -> 7F0, 5D0 -> 7F1, and 5D0 -> 7F3 transitions were observed. The measured electrical conductivity was comparable to that reported for polymer electrolyte composites prepared using passive fillers (non luminescent. This approach is therefore promising for production of high intensity luminescent polymer electrolyte composites for use in development of hybrid battery/display.

Nitrogen-doped carbon aerogels for electrical energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Patrick; Montalvo, Elizabeth; Baumann, Theodore F.; Biener, Juergen; Merrill, Matthew; Reed, Eric W.; Worsley, Marcus A.

2017-10-03

Disclosed here is a method for making a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel, comprising: preparing a reaction mixture comprising formaldehyde, at least one nitrogen-containing resorcinol analog, at least one catalyst, and at least one solvent; curing the reaction mixture to produce a wet gel; drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and thermally annealing the dry gel to produce the nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel. Also disclosed is a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel obtained according to the method and a supercapacitor comprising the nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel.

Tin Oxide/Graphene Aerogel Nanocomposites Building Superior Rate Capability for Lithium Ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Linlin; Li, Xifei; Cui, Yanhua; Xu, Hui; Zhang, Xianfa; Xiong, Dongbin; Yan, Bo; Wang, Yufen; Li, Dejun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The SnO 2 /GA nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method. • The performance of nanocomposite anodes highly depended on the hydrothermal time. • The 3-4 nm-sized SnO 2 /GAs showed enhanced cycling performance and rate performance. - Abstract: SnO 2 has attracted intense interest for use as an anode material for lithium ion batteries because of various advantages of the high theoretical capacity and low-cost. Unfortunately, SnO 2 anode material suffers from the huge volume change and poor electrical conductivity. In order to address these problems, in this work, SnO 2 /graphene aerogel composites have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal approach. 3-4 nm-sized SnO 2 nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed over graphene aerogels. Our results indicate that the hydrothermal reaction time highly affects the electrode performance of the anodes. The nanocomposite electrode with reaction time of 3 h shows increased electrochemical performance with high energy capacity, long cycle life, and superior rate capability. After 100 cycles, it can deliver a high discharge capacity of 662 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 . At 500 mA g −1 , it can still yield a discharge capacity of 619.7 mAh g −1 after 723 cycles. The performance improvement can attribute to the graphene aerogel, which can suppress the aggregation of SnO 2 nanoparticles, enhance the conductivity of SnO 2 , and increase their structural stability during cycling. This study strongly demonstrates that the SnO 2 /graphene aerogel composite is a promising anode material building high performance lithium ion batteries

Analysis of the mechanical properties and characterization by solid state 13 C NMR of recycled EVA copolymer/silica composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stael, Giovanni Chaves; Rocha, Marisa Cristina Guimaraes

2005-01-01

The incorporation of micrometer sized silica particles on poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) - EVA - residues from the footwear industry was evaluated. The effects of the processing parameters - temperature and mixing ratio - on the mechanical behavior of molded plates of neat recycled EVA and EVA/silica composites were also investigated. The mechanical properties measured by the tensile test, the fractographic analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) showed a reduced EVA to silica compatibility. Therefore, incorporation of untreated silica to recycled EVA copolymer produced a slight decrease on the mechanical performance of EVA/silica composites in respect to neat EVA copolymer. The NMR analysis also shows that the crosslinking process on recycled EVA may be occurring at the carbonyl group. (author)

Superelastic Graphene Aerogel/Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene/MnO2 Composite as Compression-Tolerant Electrode for Electrochemical Capacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Lv

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Ultra-compressible electrodes with high electrochemical performance, reversible compressibility and extreme durability are in high demand in compression-tolerant energy storage devices. Herein, an ultra-compressible ternary composite was synthesized by successively electrodepositing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT and MnO2 into the superelastic graphene aerogel (SEGA. In SEGA/PEDOT/MnO2 ternary composite, SEGA provides the compressible backbone and conductive network; MnO2 is mainly responsible for pseudo reactions; the middle PEDOT not only reduces the interface resistance between MnO2 and graphene, but also further reinforces the strength of graphene cellar walls. The synergistic effect of the three components in the ternary composite electrode leads to high electrochemical performances and good compression-tolerant ability. The gravimetric capacitance of the compressible ternary composite electrodes reaches 343 F g−1 and can retain 97% even at 95% compressive strain. And a volumetric capacitance of 147.4 F cm−3 is achieved, which is much higher than that of other graphene-based compressible electrodes. This value of volumetric capacitance can be preserved by 80% after 3500 charge/discharge cycles under various compression strains, indicating an extreme durability.

Bluedec in product design : Isolatiemateriaal op basis van aerogel

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beurden, van K.M.M. (Karin); Goselink, E.A. (Erik)

2014-01-01

Aerogel is een zeer kostbaar voor de ruimtevaart ontwikkeld basismateriaal. Bluedec is een isolatiemateriaal bestaande uit een non woven kunststof dat met deze aerogel geïmpregneerd is. Hierdoor ontstaat een zeer goed isolerend materiaal dat goedkoper is dan aerogel. De

Nanosilver-Silica Composite: Prolonged Antibacterial Effects and Bacterial Interaction Mechanisms for Wound Dressings.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosselhy, Dina A; Granbohm, Henrika; Hynönen, Ulla; Ge, Yanling; Palva, Airi; Nordström, Katrina; Hannula, Simo-Pekka

2017-09-06

Infected superficial wounds were traditionally controlled by topical antibiotics until the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Silver (Ag) is a kernel for alternative antibacterial agents to fight this resistance quandary. The present study demonstrates a method for immobilizing small-sized (~5 nm) silver nanoparticles on silica matrix to form a nanosilver-silica (Ag-SiO₂) composite and shows the prolonged antibacterial effects of the composite in vitro. The composite exhibited a rapid initial Ag release after 24 h and a slower leaching after 48 and 72 h and was effective against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli ( E . coli ). Ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation was superior to filter-sterilization in retaining the antibacterial effects of the composite, through the higher remaining Ag concentration. A gauze, impregnated with the Ag-SiO₂ composite, showed higher antibacterial effects against MRSA and E . coli than a commercial Ag-containing dressing, indicating a potential for the management and infection control of superficial wounds. Transmission and scanning transmission electron microscope analyses of the composite-treated MRSA revealed an interaction of the released silver ions with the bacterial cytoplasmic constituents, causing ultimately the loss of bacterial membranes. The present results indicate that the Ag-SiO₂ composite, with prolonged antibacterial effects, is a promising candidate for wound dressing applications.

Synthesis and comparison of mechanical behavior of fly ash-epoxy and silica fumes-epoxy composite

Science.gov (United States)

Sangamesh; Ravishankar, K. S.; Kulkarni, S. M.

2017-08-01

Present day innovation requires materials with a typical combination of properties that are not possible by conventional metal, alloys, ceramics and polymeric materials. Particulate reinforcements for polymers are selected with the dual objective of improving composite properties and save on the total cost of the system. The point of this study is to utilize and compare the mechanical properties of filler (fly ash and silica fumes) reinforced epoxy composites. The composites of different proportions by percentage of matrix (100%), fillers (5%, 10% and 15%) volume are developed using hand lay-up process are tested for tensile and compression, according to ASTM Standards. From these mechanical properties, the flexural analysis of these composites is simulated. And which are characterized by Scanning electron microscopy for the fracture surface study, which reveals the brittle fracture, this also conforms from the Finite element analysis (FEA). And the overall mechanical properties of the fly ash reinforced polymer composites were found to have better than silica fumes reinforced composites.

Analysis of the mechanical properties and characterization by solid state 13C NMR of recycled EVA copolymer/silica composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Chaves Stael

2005-09-01

Full Text Available The incorporation of micrometer sized silica particles on poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate - EVA - residues from the footwear industry was evaluated. The effects of the processing parameters - temperature and mixing ratio - on the mechanical behavior of molded plates of neat recycled EVA and EVA/silica composites were also investigated. The mechanical properties measured by the tensile test, the fractographic analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and the 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR showed a reduced EVA to silica compatibility. Therefore, incorporation of untreated silica to recycled EVA copolymer produced a slight decrease on the mechanical performance of EVA/silica composites in respect to neat EVA copolymer. The NMR analysis also shows that the crosslinking process on recycled EVA may be occurring at the carbonyl group.

Radius ratio rule for surface hydrophilization of polydimethyl siloxane and silica nanoparticle composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toutam, Vijaykumar, E-mail: toutamvk@nplindia.org [Quantum Phenomena and Applications Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India); Jain, Puneet; Sharma, Rina [Quantum Phenomena and Applications Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India); Bathula, Sivaiah; Dhar, Ajay [Material Physics and Engineering Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India)

2015-09-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Binary hard sphere silica nanoparticle system based PDMS composite. • Enhanced hydrophilization and retainability of the composite. • Restriction of uncured PDMS from diffusion. • Increased Debye length of electrostatic double layer, measured by F-D Spectroscopy. - Abstract: Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) and Silica (SiO{sub 2}) nanoparticle composite blocks of three different batches (CB1–CB3) made by varying the size of SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (NP), are studied for the degree of hydrophilization and retainability after oxidation by contact angle measurements (CA) and force distance spectroscopy (FDS) using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). While CA measurements have shown high hydrophilization and retainability for CB3, F-D spectroscopy has reiterated the observation and has shown long range interactive forces and high Debye length of the electrostatic double layer formed. These results are in agreement with the radius ratio rule of binary sphere system for high density packing in the composite and thereby for strong hydrophilization and retainability due to reinforcement and restricted diffusion of uncured polymer.

Iron-Doped Carbon Aerogels: Novel Porous Substrates for Direct Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, S. A.; Baumann, T. F.; Kong, J.; Satcher, J. H.; Dresselhaus, M. S.

2007-02-20

We present the synthesis and characterization of Fe-doped carbon aerogels (CAs) and demonstrate the ability to grow carbon nanotubes directly on monoliths of these materials to afford novel carbon aerogel-carbon nanotube composites. Preparation of the Fe-doped CAs begins with the sol-gel polymerization of the potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with formaldehyde, affording K{sup +}-doped gels that can then be converted to Fe{sup 2+}- or Fe{sup 3+}-doped gels through an ion exchange process, dried with supercritical CO{sub 2} and subsequently carbonized under an inert atmosphere. Analysis of the Fe-doped CAs by TEM, XRD and XPS revealed that the doped iron species are reduced during carbonization to form metallic iron and iron carbide nanoparticles. The sizes and chemical composition of the reduced Fe species were related to pyrolysis temperature as well as the type of iron salt used in the ion exchange process. Raman spectroscopy and XRD analysis further reveal that, despite the presence of the Fe species, the CA framework is not significantly graphitized during pyrolysis. The Fe-doped CAs were subsequently placed in a thermal CVD reactor and exposed to a mixture of CH{sub 4} (1000 sccm), H{sub 2} (500 sccm), and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} (20 sccm) at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 C for 10 minutes, resulting in direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the aerogel monoliths. Carbon nanotubes grown by this method appear to be multiwalled ({approx}25 nm in diameter and up to 4 mm long) and grow through a tip-growth mechanism that pushes catalytic iron particles out of the aerogel framework. The highest yield of CNTs were grown on Fe-doped CAs pyrolyzed at 800 C treated at CVD temperatures of 700 C.

Iron-Doped Carbon Aerogels: Novel Porous Substrates for Direct Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steiner, S A; Baumann, T F; Kong, J; Satcher, J H; Dresselhaus, M S

2007-02-15

We present the synthesis and characterization of Fe-doped carbon aerogels (CAs) and demonstrate the ability to grow carbon nanotubes directly on monoliths of these materials to afford novel carbon aerogel-carbon nanotube composites. Preparation of the Fe-doped CAs begins with the sol-gel polymerization of the potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with formaldehyde, affording K{sup +}-doped gels that can then be converted to Fe{sup 2+}- or Fe{sup 3+}-doped gels through an ion exchange process, dried with supercritical CO{sub 2} and subsequently carbonized under an inert atmosphere. Analysis of the Fe-doped CAs by TEM, XRD and XPS revealed that the doped iron species are reduced during carbonization to form metallic iron and iron carbide nanoparticles. The sizes and chemical composition of the reduced Fe species were related to pyrolysis temperature as well as the type of iron salt used in the ion exchange process. Raman spectroscopy and XRD analysis further reveal that, despite the presence of the Fe species, the CA framework is not significantly graphitized during pyrolysis. The Fe-doped CAs were subsequently placed in a thermal CVD reactor and exposed to a mixture of CH{sub 4} (1000 sccm), H{sub 2} (500 sccm), and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} (20 sccm) at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 C for 10 minutes, resulting in direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the aerogel monoliths. Carbon nanotubes grown by this method appear to be multiwalled ({approx}25 nm in diameter and up to 4 mm long) and grow through a tip-growth mechanism that pushes catalytic iron particles out of the aerogel framework. The highest yield of CNTs were grown on Fe-doped CAs pyrolyzed at 800 C treated at CVD temperatures of 700 C.

Hydrothermal synthesis of layer-controlled MoS_2/graphene composite aerogels for lithium-ion battery anode materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Bing; Wang, Zhixuan; Gao, Yang; Chen, Lu; Lu, Mengna; Jiao, Zheng; Jiang, Yong; Ding, Yuanzhang; Cheng, Lingli

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Layer-controlled MoS_2/GA composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. • Few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS_2 nanosheets are decorated on the surface of GNS homogeneously and tightly. • The growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS_2/GA composites is proposed. • The composite delivers high specific capacity of 1085.0 mAh g"−"1 at 0.1 A g"−"1. - Abstract: Layer-controlled MoS_2/graphene aerogels (MoS_2/GA) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route, in which few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS_2 nanosheets with high crystalline are decorated on the surface of graphene nanosheets homogeneously and tightly. The number of the MoS_2 layers can be easily controlled through adjusting the amount of molybdenum source in the reaction system. Moreover, the growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS_2/GA composites is proposed. The three-dimensional MoS_2/GA with macroporous micro-structure not only shortens the transportation length of electrons and ions, but also restrains the re-stacking of MoS_2 effectively, stabilizing the electrode structure during repeated charging/discharging processes. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that this few-layer MoS_2/GA composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1085.0 mAh g"−"1 at current density of 100 mA g"−"1, as well as extraordinarily high cycling stability and rate capability.

Process for making solid-state radiation-emitting composition

Science.gov (United States)

Ashley, C.S.; Brinker, C.J.; Reed, S.; Walko, R.J.

1993-08-31

The invention provides a process for loading an aerogel substrate with tritium and the resultant compositions. According to the process, an aerogel substrate is hydrolyzed so that surface OH groups are formed. The hydrolyzed aerogel is then subjected to tritium exchange employing, for example, a tritium-containing gas, whereby tritium atoms replace H atoms of surface OH groups. OH and/or CH groups of residual alcohol present in the aerogel may also undergo tritium exchange.

Iodine Adsorption by Ag-Aerogel under Prototypical Vessel Off-Gas Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruffey, Stephanie H. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Jubin, Robert Thomas [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-08-01

U.S. regulations will require the removal of ¹²⁹I from the off-gas streams of any used nuclear fuel (UNF) reprocessing plant prior to discharge of the off-gas to the environment. The required plant decontamination factor for iodine will vary based on fuel burnup, cooling time, and other factors but is very likely to be >1000 and could be as high as 8000. Multiple off-gas streams within a UNF reprocessing plant combine prior to environmental release, and each of these streams contains some amount of iodine. To achieve the decontamination factors (DFs) that are likely to be required by regulations, iodine removal from the vessel off-gas will be necessary. The vessel off-gas contains iodine at very dilute concentrations (ppb levels), and will also contain water vapor. Iodine species present are likely to include both elemental and organic iodides. There will also be solvent vapors and volatile radiolysis products. The United States has considered the use of silver-based sorbents for removal of iodine from UNF off-gas streams, but little is known about the behavior of those sorbents at very dilute iodine concentrations. The purpose of this study was to expose silver-functionalized silica aerogel (AgAerogel) to a prototypical vessel off-gas stream containing 40 ppb methyl iodide to obtain information about organic iodine capture by silver-sorbents at very low iodine concentrations. The design of this extended duration testing was such that information about the rate of adsorption, the penetration of the iodine species, and the overall system DF could be obtained. Results show that CH₃I penetrates into a AgAerogel sorbent bed to a depth of 3.9 cm under prototypical vessel off-gas conditions. An iodine loading of 22 mg I/g AgAerogel was observed in the first 0.3 cm of the bed. Of the iodine delivered to the system, 48% could not be accounted for, and future efforts will investigate this concern. Direct calculation of the decontamination factor is not

Dielectric study of Poly(styrene- co -butadiene) Composites with Carbon Black, Silica, and Nanoclay

KAUST Repository

Vo, Loan T.

2011-08-09

Dielectric spectroscopy is used to measure polymer relaxation in styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) composites. In addition to the bulk polymer relaxation, the SBR nanocomposites also exhibit a slower relaxation attributed to polymer relaxation at the polymer-nanoparticle interface. The glass transition temperature associated with the slower relaxation is used as a way to quantify the interaction strength between the polymer and the surface. Comparisons were made among composites containing nanoclay, silica, and carbon black. The interfacial relaxation glass transition temperature of SBR-clay nanocomposites is more than 80 °C higher than the SBR bulk glass transition temperature. An interfacial mode was also observed for SBR-silica nanocomposites, but the interfacial glass transition temperature of SBR-silica nanocomposite is somewhat lower than that of clay nanocomposites. An interfacial mode is also seen in the carbon black filled system, but the signal is too weak to analyze quantitatively. The interfacial polymer relaxation in SBR-clay nanocomposites is stronger compared to both SBR-carbon black and SBR-silica composites indicating a stronger interfacial interaction in the nanocomposites containing clay. These results are consistent with dynamic shear rheology and dynamic mechanical analysis measurements showing a more pronounced reinforcement for the clay nanocomposites. Comparisons were also made among clay nanocomposites using different SBRs of varying styrene concentration and architecture. The interfacial glass transition temperature of SBR-clay nanocomposites increases as the amount of styrene in SBR increases indicating that styrene interacts more strongly than butadiene with clay. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

EFFECTS OF LIGHTWEIGHT MULLITE-SILICA RICH GLASS COMPOSITE AGGREGATES ON PROPERTIES OF CASTABLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Y.

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Mullite-silica rich glass (MSRG composite is a material which is more efficient than chamotte for refractory utilization of clay. The effects of lightweight MSRG composite aggregate on the properties of refractory castables were studied by XRD, SEM and EDS, etc. Comparing with a common lightweight chamotte aggregate, it was found that the hot modulus of rupture, refractoriness under load and thermal shock resistance of the castable with lightweight MSRG aggregate were higher than those of the castable with a common lightweight chamotte aggregate because MSRG did not contain silica crystalline phases and contained a liquid phase with very high viscosity at high temperature. The castables with lightweight chamotte aggregate have higher thermal expansion because of existence of cristobalite and quartz, and have lower thermal conductivity because of higher porosity.

MOLECULAR DESCRIPTION OF ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION IN A CARBON AEROGEL ELECTRODE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.Kovalenko

2003-01-01

Full Text Available We develop a molecular theory of aqueous electrolyte solution sorbed in a nanoporous carbon aerogel electrode, based on the replica reference interaction site model (replica RISM for realistic molecular quenched-annealed systems. We also briefly review applications of carbon aerogels for supercapacitor and electrochemical separation devices, as well as theoretical and computer modelling of disordered porous materials. The replica RISM integral equation theory yields the microscopic properties of the electrochemical double layer formed at the surface of carbon aerogel nanopores, with due account of chemical specificities of both sorbed electrolyte and carbon aerogel material. The theory allows for spatial disorder of aerogel pores in the range from micro- to macroscopic size scale. We considered ambient aqueous solution of 1 M sodium chloride sorbed in two model nanoporous carbon aerogels with carbon nanoparticles either arranged into branched chains or randomly distributed. The long-range correlations of the carbon aerogel nanostructure substantially affect the properties of the electrochemical double layer formed by the solution sorbed in nanopores.

Omega-3 PUFA concentration by a novel PVDF nano-composite membrane filled with nano-porous silica particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemian, Samaneh; Sahari, Mohammad Ali; Barzegar, Mohsen; Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hasan

2017-09-01

In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nano-porous silica particle were used to fabricate an asymmetric nano-composite membrane. Silica particles enhanced the thermal stability of PVDF/SiO 2 membranes; increasing the decomposition temperature from 371°C to 408°C. Cross sectional morphology showed that silica particles were dispersed in polymer matrix uniformly. However, particle agglomeration was found at higher loading of silica (i.e., 20 by weight%). The separation performance of nano-composite membranes was also evaluated using the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentration at a temperature and pressure of 30°C and 4bar, respectively. Silica particle increased the omega-3PUFA concentration from 34.8 by weight% in neat PVDF to 53.9 by weight% in PVDF with 15 by weight% of silica. Moreover, PVDF/SiO 2 nano-composite membranes exhibited enhanced anti-fouling property compared to neat PVDF membrane. Fouling mechanism analysis revealed that complete pore blocking was the predominant mechanism occurring in oil filtration. The concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important in the oil industries. While the current methods demand high energy consumptions in concentrating the omega-3, membrane separation technology offers noticeable advantages in producing pure omega-3 PUFA. Moreover, concentrating omega-3 via membrane separation produces products in the triacylglycerol form which possess better oxidative stability. In this work, the detailed mechanisms of fouling which limits the performance of membrane separation were investigated. Incorporating silica particles to polymeric membrane resulted in the formation of mixed matrix membrane with improved anti-fouling behaviour compared to the neat polymeric membrane. Hence, the industrial potential of membrane processing to concentrate omega-3 fatty acids is enhanced. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of the mechanical properties and characterization by solid state {sup 13} C NMR of recycled EVA copolymer/silica composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stael, Giovanni Chaves [Observatorio Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: stael@on.br; Rocha, Marisa Cristina Guimaraes [Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo, RJ (Brazil). Instituto Politecnico; Menezes, Sonia Maria Cabral de [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas. Quimica; D' Almeida, Jose Roberto Morais; Ruiz, Naira Machado da Silva [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2005-07-15

The incorporation of micrometer sized silica particles on poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) - EVA - residues from the footwear industry was evaluated. The effects of the processing parameters - temperature and mixing ratio - on the mechanical behavior of molded plates of neat recycled EVA and EVA/silica composites were also investigated. The mechanical properties measured by the tensile test, the fractographic analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the {sup 13} C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) showed a reduced EVA to silica compatibility. Therefore, incorporation of untreated silica to recycled EVA copolymer produced a slight decrease on the mechanical performance of EVA/silica composites in respect to neat EVA copolymer. The NMR analysis also shows that the crosslinking process on recycled EVA may be occurring at the carbonyl group. (author)

A preliminary study on the etching behavior of SiO sub 2 aerogel film with CHF sub 3 gas

CERN Document Server

Wang, S J; Yeom, G Y

1998-01-01

Etching behavior of SiO sub 2 aerogel film has been investigated in order to examine the feasibility of its application to an interlevel dielectric material. Low dielectric property of SiO sub 2 aerogel film is simply originated from its highly porous structure, but interconnected particles are covered with surface chemical bondings (-OH, -OC sub 2 H sub 5 , etc). Etching experiments have been performed with high density inductively coupled CHF sub 3 plasma. The effects of porous structure and surface chemical bondings on the etching of SiO sub 2 aerogel film have been analyzed. The changes of surface morphology were observed using scanning electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses revealed compositions and chemical bonding states of reaction layer. From the analyses, 3-dimensional etching was not feasible macroscopically in SiO sub 2 aerogel film even with its porous nature because network structure was maintained through the etching process. Internal surface chemicals seemed to act an ...

Shear bond strengths of an indirect composite layering material to a tribochemically silica-coated zirconia framework material.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasaki, Taro; Komine, Futoshi; Fushiki, Ryosuke; Kubochi, Kei; Shinohara, Mitsuyo; Matsumura, Hideo

2016-01-01

This study evaluated shear bond strengths of a layering indirect composite material to a zirconia framework material treated with tribochemical silica coating. Zirconia disks were divided into two groups: ZR-PRE (airborne-particle abrasion) and ZR-PLU (tribochemical silica coating). Indirect composite was bonded to zirconia treated with one of the following primers: Clearfil Ceramic Primer (CCP), Clearfil Mega Bond Primer with Clearfil Porcelain Bond Activator (MGP+Act), ESPE-Sil (SIL), Estenia Opaque Primer, MR. Bond, Super-Bond PZ Primer Liquid A with Liquid B (PZA+PZB), and Super-Bond PZ Primer Liquid B (PZB), or no treatment. Shear bond testing was performed at 0 and 20,000 thermocycles. Post-thermocycling shear bond strengths of ZR-PLU were higher than those of ZR-PRE in CCP, MGP+Act, SIL, PZA+PZB, and PZB groups. Application of silane yielded better durable bond strengths of a layering indirect composite material to a tribochemically silica-coated zirconia framework material.

Stardust: An overview of the tracks in the aerogel (calibration, classification and particle size distribution)

Science.gov (United States)

Burchell, M. J.; Fairey, S. J.; Hörz, F.; Wozniakiewicz, P. J.; Kearsley, A. T.; Brownlee, D. E.; See, T. H.; Westphal, A.; Green, S. F.; Trigo-Rodríguez, J. M.

2007-08-01

The NASA Stardust mission (1) to comet P/Wild-2 returned to Earth in January 2006 carrying a cargo of dust captured in aerogel and residue rich craters in aluminium foils (2). Aerogel is a low density, highly porous material (3, 4). The aerogel that was carried by Stardust in the cometary dust collector trays was a SiO2 aerogel, arranged in blocks 4 cm x 2 cm (front face) and 3 cm deep, with density which varied smoothly from 5 mg/cc at the front surface to 50 mg/cc at the rear surface (5). A first look at the whole cometary dust tray at NASA showed that there were many impact features in the aerogel. During the Preliminary Examination period about 15% of the aerogel blocks were removed and studied in detail. The tracks observed in these blocks were classified into three groups: Type A were long relatively narrow tracks of "carrot shape", Type B tracks were again fairly long but had a large bulbous region at the top and appear like the bowl and stem of a flute champagne glass, Type C were purely bulbous tracks with no stem emerging beneath them. Data on the sizes and relative populations of these tracks will be given (also see (6)) along with a discussion of their implications for impactor composition. Laboratory calibrations of the impacts in aerogel have been carried out using glass beads and these permit an estimate of the size of the impactor based on the measured track properties (6). When applied to the tracks measured in the Stardust aerogel, a cumulative particle size distribution was obtained (7) which will be discussed. References (1) Brownlee D.E. et al., J. Geophys. Res. 108, E10, 8111, 2003. (2) Brownlee D.E. et al., Science 314, 1711 - 1716. 2006. (3) Kistler S.S., Nature 127, 741, 1931. (4) Burchell M.J. et al., Ann. Rev. Earth. Planet. Sci. 34, 385 - 418, 2006. (5) Tsou P. et al., J. Geophys. Res. 108(E10), 8113, 2003. (6) Burchell et al., submitted to MAPS, 2006. (7) Hörz F. et al., Science 314, 1716 - 1719, 2006.

Melt flow and mechanical properties of silica/perfluoropolymer nanocomposites Fabricated by direct melt-compounding without surface modification on nano-silica.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanahashi, Mitsuru; Watanabe, Yusuke; Lee, Jeong-Chang; Takeda, Kunihiko; Fujisawa, Toshiharu

2009-01-01

The authors have previously developed a novel method for the fabrication of silica/perfluoropolymer nanocomposites, wherein nano-sized silica particles without surface modification were dispersed uniformly through breakdown of loosely packed agglomerates of silica nanoparticles with low fracture strength in a polymer melt during direct melt-compounding. The method consists of two stages; the first stage involves preparation of the loose silica agglomerate, and the second stage involves melt-compounding of a completely hydrophobic perfluoropolymer, PFA (poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropylvinylether)), with the loose silica agglomerates. By using this simple method without any lipophilic treatment of the silica surfaces, silica nanoparticles with a primary diameter of 190 nm could be dispersed uniformly into the PFA matrix. The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate the melt flow and tensile properties of silica/PFA nanocomposites fabricated by the above method. In order to elucidate the effects of the size of the dispersed silica in the PFA matrix on the properties of the composites, silica/PFA composite samples exhibiting the dispersion of larger-sized silica particle-clusters were fabricated as negative controls of the silica dispersion state. The results obtained under the present experimental conditions showed that the size of the dispersed silica in the PFA matrix exerts a strong influence on the ultimate tensile properties, such as tensile strength and elongation at break, and the melt flow rate (MFR) of the composite materials. The MFR of the silica/PFA nanocomposite became higher than that of the pure PFA without silica addition, although the MFR of the PFA composites containing larger silica particle-clusters became much lower than that of the pure PFA. Furthermore, uniform dispersion of isolated silica nanoparticles was found to improve not only the Young's modulus but also the ultimate tensile properties of the composite.

Effect of silica-based fillers on structure and properties of epoxy-based composites; Efeito das cargas a base de silica na estrutura e propriedades de compositos a base de resina epoxidica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solymossy, Ana Paula F.; Dahmouche, Karim; Soares, Bluma G. [Instituto de Macromoleculas (IMA), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil); Rocha, L. Alonso; Ribeiro, Sidney J.L, E-mail: apfiuza@ima.ufrj.br [Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara-SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

In the present work, the incorporation effect of nanoparticles of commercial silica (Aerosil R200 - R200), polysilsesquioxane (POSS) and in-situ synthesized mesoporous silica (MP) on the structure, curing and thermal properties of epoxy resin. SAXS analysis of R200 and MP composites showed a tendency to Guinier plateau, while the POSS composite showed larger particle size. By the rheological analysis it was possible to measure the gel time of the composites, of which the greater value obtained was for MP, followed by POSS and then by R200, due to their affinity with the matrix and particle sizes. DMA showed that R200 composite has the lowest modulus, when compared with the other composites. The MP composite has higher Tg than POSS composite and lower than R200 composite. (author)

Electron beam synthesis of silica/nano silver composite and its application in controlling microorganisms in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramnani, S.P.; Biswal, Jayashree; Sabharwal, S.; Rama Rao, K.C.; Sai Prasad, P.

2008-01-01

Silica/nano silver composites were prepared by electron beam (EB) irradiation technique. The solution containing silica nanoparticles and AgNO 3 in various proportion were subjected to EB irradiation. The EB dose delivered was such that all the Ag + is converted into metallic silver. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM analysis. The composites were tested for their anti microbial activity in water samples. The results indicated that there is an optimum size of Ag nanoparticles that shows better antimicrobial activity. (author)

Spray freeze-dried nanofibrillated cellulose aerogels with thermal superinsulating properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez-Saelices, Clara; Seantier, Bastien; Cathala, Bernard; Grohens, Yves

2017-02-10

Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) aerogels were prepared by spray freeze-drying (SFD). Their structural, mechanical and thermal insulation properties were compared to those of NFC aerogels prepared by conventional freeze-drying (CFD). The purpose of this investigation is to develop superinsulating bioaerogels by reducing their pore size. Severe reduction of the aerogel pore size and skeleton architecture were observed by SEM, aerogels prepared by SFD method show a fibril skeleton morphology, which defines a mesoporous structure. BET analyses confirm the appearance of a new organization structure with pores of nanometric sizes. As a consequence, the thermal insulation properties were significantly improved for SFD materials compared to CFD aerogel, reaching values of thermal conductivity as low as 0.018W/(mK). Moreover, NFC aerogels have a thermal conductivity below that of air in ambient conditions, making them one of the best cellulose based thermal superinsulating material. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low dielectric constant and moisture-resistant polyimide aerogels containing trifluoromethyl pendent groups

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tingting; Dong, Jie; Gan, Feng; Fang, Yuting; Zhao, Xin; Zhang, Qinghua

2018-05-01

Conventional polyimide aerogels made from biphenyl-3,3‧,4,4‧-tetracarboxylic dianydride (BPDA) and 4,4‧-oxidianiline (ODA) exhibit poor resistance to moisture and mechanical properties. In this work, a versatile diamine, 2,2‧-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-4,4‧-diaminobiphenyl (TFMB), is introduced to BPDA/ODA backbone to modify the comprehensive performance of this aerogel. Among all formulations, the resulted polyimide aerogels exhibit the lowest shrinkage and density as well as highest porosity, at the ODA/TFMB molar ratio of 5/5. Dielectric constants and loss tangents of the aerogels fall in the range of 1.29-1.33 and 0.001-0.004, respectively, and more TFMB fractions results in a slightly decrease of dielectric constant and loss tangent. In addition, moisture-resistance of the aerogels are dramatically enhanced as the water absorption decreasing from 415% for BPDA/ODA to 13% for the polyimide aerogel at the ODA/TFMB molar ratio of 7/3, and even to 4% for the homo-BPDA/TFMB polyimide aerogel, showing a superhydrophobic characteristic, which is a great advantage for polyimide aerogels used as low dielectric materials. Meanwhile, all of formulations of aerogels exhibit high absorption capacities for oils and common organic solvents, indicating that these fluorinated polyimide aerogels are good candidates for the separation of oils/organic solvents and water. Mechanical properties and thermal stability of the polyimide aerogels are also raised to varying degrees due to the rigid-rod biphenyl structure introduced by TFMB.

In-situ reactions in hybrid aluminum alloy composites during incorporating silica sand in aluminum alloy melts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin F. Schultz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In order to gain a better understanding of the reactions and strengthening behavior in cast aluminum alloy/silica composites synthesized by stir mixing, experiments were conducted to incorporate low cost foundry silica sand into aluminum composites with the use of Mg as a wetting agent. SEM and XRD results show the conversion of SiO2 to MgAl2O4 and some Al2O3 with an accompanying increase in matrix Si content. A three-stage reaction mechanism proposed to account for these changes indicates that properties can be controlled by controlling the base Alloy/SiO2/Mg chemistry and reaction times. Experimental data on changes of composite density with increasing reaction time and SiO2 content support the three-stage reaction model. The change in mechanical properties with composition and time is also described.

Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/carbon aerogel microbead composites synthesized by in situ coating method for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Xingyan, E-mail: wxianyou@yahoo.com [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, Chemistry School, Xiangtan University, Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Hunan Institute of Humanities Science and Technology, Loudi 417000 (China); Key Laboratory of Materials Design and Preparation Technology of Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Liu Li [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, Chemistry School, Xiangtan University, Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Wang Xianyou, E-mail: wqinyan801@yahoo.com.cn [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, Chemistry School, Xiangtan University, Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Key Laboratory of Materials Design and Preparation Technology of Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Yi Lanhua [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, Chemistry School, Xiangtan University, Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Hu Chuanyue [Hunan Institute of Humanities Science and Technology, Loudi 417000 (China); Zhang Xiaoyan [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, Chemistry School, Xiangtan University, Hunan, Xiangtan 411105 (China)

2011-09-15

Highlights: > Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CAMB composite materials for supercapacitor were prepared by in situ coating method. > The optimum amount of Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} in Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CAMB composite is 10 wt%. > Coating nano-sized Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} on the CAMB could improve the supercapacitive behaviors of composites. - Abstract: A series of Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/carbon aerogel microbead (Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CAMB) composites for supercapacitor electrodes have been synthesized by in situ encapsulation method. The structure and morphology of Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CAMB are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical performances of the synthesized composites are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurement. All the composites with different Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} contents show higher specific capacitance than pure CAMB due to the pseudo-capacitance of the Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles dispersed on the surface of CAMB. The highest specific capacitance is up to 368.01 F g{sup -1} when 10 wt% Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} is coated on the surface of CAMB. Besides, 10%-Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}/CAMB supercapacitor exhibits excellent cyclic stability, the specific capacitance still retains 90% of initial capacitance over 5000 cycles.

Robust superhydrophobic bridged silsesquioxane aerogels with tunable performances and their applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhen; Wang, Dong; Qian, Zhenchao; Guo, Jing; Dong, Haixia; Zhao, Ning; Xu, Jian

2015-01-28

Aerogels are a family of highly porous materials whose applications are commonly restricted by poor mechanical properties. Herein, thiol-ene chemistry is employed to synthesize a series of novel bridged silsesquioxane (BSQ) precursors with various alkoxy groups. On the basis of the different hydrolyzing rates of the methoxy and ethoxy groups, robust superhydrophobic BSQ aerogels with tailorable morphology and mechanical performances have been prepared. The flexible thioether bridge contributes to the robustness of the as-formed aerogels, and the property can be tuned on the basis of the distinct combinations of alkoxy groups with the density of the aerogels almost unchanged. To the best of our knowledge, the lowest density among the ambient pressure dried aerogels is obtained. Further, potential application of the aerogels for oil/water separation and acoustic materials has also been presented.

Nafion®/ODF-silica composite membranes for medium temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Treekamol, Yaowapa; Schieda, Mauricio; Robitaille, Lucie; MacKinnon, Sean M.; Mokrini, Asmae; Shi, Zhiqing; Holdcroft, Steven; Schulte, Karl I.; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2014-01-01

A series of composite membranes were prepared by dispersing fluorinated polyoxadiazole oligomer (ODF)-functionalized silica nanoparticles in a Nafion matrix. Both melt-extrusion and solvent casting processes were explored. Ion exchange capacity

Mechanically Strong Aerogels Formed by Templated Growth of Polymer Cross- Linkers on Inorganic Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas; Fabrizio, Eve F.; Johnston, Chris; Meador, Maryann

2004-01-01

In the search for materials with better mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, it is becoming evident that oftentimes dispersing ceramic nanoparticles in plastics improves performance. Along these lines, chemical bonding (both covalent and noncovalent) between a filler and a polymer improves their compatibility, and thus enhances certain properties of the polymeric matrix above and beyond what is accomplished by simple doping with the filler. When a similarly sized dopant and matrix are used, elementary building blocks may also have certain distinct advantages (e.g., in catalysis). In this context, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center reasoned that in the extreme case, where the dopant and the matrix (e.g., a filler and a polymer) are not only sized similarly, but their relative amounts are comparable, the relative roles of the dopant and matrix can be reversed. Then, if the "filler," or a certain form thereof, possesses desirable properties of its own, such properties could be magnified by cross-linking with a polymer. We at Glenn have identified silica as such a filler in its lowest-density form, namely the silica aerogel.

Diffusion of gases in metal containing carbon aerogels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marques, L.M.; Conceicao, F.L.; Carrott, M.M.L. Ribeiro; Carrott, P.J.M. [Evora Univ. (Portugal). Centro de Quimica de Evora

2011-02-15

Carbon aerogels containing Fe, Ni, Cu or no metal were prepared by carbonisation of polymer aerogels synthesised from 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and formaldehyde and modified by CVD of benzene. Uptakes and diffusion coefficients of CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, N{sub 2} and O{sub 2} were measured and the results compared with those obtained using a commercial carbon molecular sieve. The results indicated that the diffusion of light gas molecules in carbon aerogels cannot be interpreted solely on the basis of micropore diffusion, but that the very high mesopore volumes of the aerogel monoliths exert a strong influence on the kinetics of diffusion in these materials. The mesoporosity is decreased when the % solids used during synthesis of the polymer precursor increases and this resulted in kinetic behaviour which was more similar to that predicted by Fickian or LDF models. Increasing % solids was also accompanied by generally slower diffusion rates and generally lower uptakes. The single gas uptakes and diffusion coefficients could be altered by varying the % solids used during synthesis of the polymer precursor, by introducing different metals into the polymer hydrogel by ion exchange, or by CVD of benzene on the carbon aerogel. (author)

Diffusion of gases in metal containing carbon aerogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marques, L.M.; Conceicao, F.L.; Carrott, M.M.L. Ribeiro; Carrott, P.J.M.

2011-01-01

Carbon aerogels containing Fe, Ni, Cu or no metal were prepared by carbonisation of polymer aerogels synthesised from 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and formaldehyde and modified by CVD of benzene. Uptakes and diffusion coefficients of CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 and O 2 were measured and the results compared with those obtained using a commercial carbon molecular sieve. The results indicated that the diffusion of light gas molecules in carbon aerogels cannot be interpreted solely on the basis of micropore diffusion, but that the very high mesopore volumes of the aerogel monoliths exert a strong influence on the kinetics of diffusion in these materials. The mesoporosity is decreased when the % solids used during synthesis of the polymer precursor increases and this resulted in kinetic behaviour which was more similar to that predicted by Fickian or LDF models. Increasing % solids was also accompanied by generally slower diffusion rates and generally lower uptakes. The single gas uptakes and diffusion coefficients could be altered by varying the % solids used during synthesis of the polymer precursor, by introducing different metals into the polymer hydrogel by ion exchange, or by CVD of benzene on the carbon aerogel. (author)

Nonlinear hydrodynamic equations for superfluid helium in aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brusov, Peter N.; Brusov, Paul P.

2003-01-01

Aerogel in superfluids is studied very intensively during last decade. The importance of these systems is connected to the fact that this allows to investigate the influence of impurities on superfluidity. We have derived for the first time nonlinear hydrodynamic equations for superfluid helium in aerogel. These equations are generalization of McKenna et al. equations for nonlinear hydrodynamics case and could be used to study sound propagation phenomena in aerogel-superfluid system, in particular--to study sound conversion phenomena. We have obtained two alternative sets of equations, one of which is a generalization of a traditional set of nonlinear hydrodynamics equations for the case of an aerogel-superfluid system and, the other one represents a la Putterman equations (equation for v→ s is replaced by equation for A→=((ρ n )/(ρσ))w→, where w→=v→ n -v→ s )

Properties of Vulcanized Polyisoprene Rubber Composites Filled with Opalized White Tuff and Precipitated Silica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzana Samaržija-Jovanović

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Opalized white tuff (OWT with 40 μm average particle size and 39.3 m2/g specific surface area has been introduced into polyisoprene rubber (NR. Their reinforcing effects were evaluated by comparisons with those from precipitated silica (PSi. The cure characteristic, apparent activation energy of cross-link (Eac and reversion (Ear, and mechanical properties of a variety of composites based on these rubbers were studied. This was done using vulcanization techniques, mechanical testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The results showed that OWT can greatly improve the vulcanizing process by shortening the time of optimum cure (tc90 and the scorch time (ts2 of cross-linked rubber composites, which improves production efficiency and operational security. The rubber composites filled with 50 phr of OWT were found to have good mechanical and elastomeric properties. The tensile strengths of the NR/OWT composites are close to those of NR/PSi composites, but the tear strength and modulus are not as good as the corresponding properties of those containing precipitated silica. Morphology results revealed that the OWT is poorly dispersed in the rubber matrix. According to that, the lower interactions between OWT and polyisoprene rubber macromolecules are obtained, but similar mechanical properties of NR/OWT (100/50 rubber composites compared with NR/PSi (100/50 rubber composites are resulted.

Study of ageing effects in aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Coluzza, C.; Longo, G.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Perego, D.L.

2004-01-01

Ageing effects on aerogel due to irradiation and absorption of humidity have been investigated. Aerogel tiles have been exposed to γ radiation from a 60 Co source and to proton and neutron high intensity beams. The transmittance has been monitored in the wavelength range between 200 and 800 nm, determining the clarity factor C as a function of the increasing dose of irradiation. The index of refraction n was also measured

Organosulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous composites based on natural rubber and hexagonal mesoporous silica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuntang, Sakdinun; Poompradub, Sirilux [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Butnark, Suchada [PTT Research and Technology Institute, PTT Public Company Limited, Wangnoi, Ayutthaya 13170 (Thailand); Yokoi, Toshiyuki; Tatsumi, Takashi [Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Ngamcharussrivichai, Chawalit, E-mail: Chawalit.Ng@Chula.ac.th [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology (PETROMAT), Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2014-10-15

This study is the first report on synthesis, characterization and catalytic application of propylsulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous composites based on natural rubber (NR) and hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS). In comparison with propylsulfonic acid-functionalized HMS (HMS-SO{sub 3}H), a series of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were prepared via an in situ sol–gel process using tetrahydrofuran as the synthesis media. Tetraethylorthosilicate as the silica source, was simultaneously condensed with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane in a solution of NR followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide to achieve the mesoporous composites containing propylsulfonic acid groups. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and {sup 29}Si MAS nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results verified that the silica surfaces of the NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were functionalized with propylsulfonic acid groups and covered with NR molecules. After the incorporation of NR and organo-functional group into HMS, the hexagonal mesostructure remained intact concomitantly with an increased framework wall thickness and unit cell size, as evidenced by the X-ray powder diffraction analysis. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated a high interparticle porosity of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites. The textural properties of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H were affected by the amount of MPTMS loading to a smaller extent than that of HMS-SO{sub 3}H. NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H exhibited higher hydrophobicity than HMS-SO{sub 3}H, as revealed by H{sub 2}O adsorption–desorption measurements. Moreover, the NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H catalysts possessed a superior specific activity to HMS-SO{sub 3}H in the esterification of lauric acid with ethanol, resulting in a higher conversion level. - Highlights: • Acidic NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were prepared by in situ sol–gel process. • Propylsulfonic acid was functionalized onto HMS surface by direct co-condensation. • NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H exhibited a hexagonal

Molecular imprinting of caffeine on cellulose/silica composite and its characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Rajinder Singh

This dissertation presents a study to prepare molecularly imprinted inorganic/organic hybrid composite which not only confirm the higher binding capabilities for the target molecule (template) but also discriminate its structural analogs. Molecularly imprinted Cellulose/Silica composite (MIP) was prepared by using caffeine as the template. Silica derived from TEOS by using sol-gel techniques was deposited on cheap, abundant organic matrix such as cellulose, which can provide a filtering medium while coffee brewing. Removal of the template from the precursor was verified by Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Remarkably reduced intensity of -NH2 scissor like mode of caffeine and the presence of traces of "N" by elemental analysis, confirmed the complete removal of caffeine on washing with ethanol. Cellulose to TEOS mass ratio of 2:1 was found to be close to optimal during our analysis. Energy dispersive spectroscopy results leads to an important fact that the deposition of silica was stable even at 373 K. Focus was on the adsorption affinities of caffeine by MIP and was tested by performing relative adsorption of caffeine by MIP and blank (standard) using demountable path length cell in IR. It was observed that MIP showed almost 3-folds higher adsorption capabilities as compared to blank. The initial rate of adsorption of caffeine by MIP is much higher than blank which is one of the desirable feature according the its intended use. The higher adsorption of caffeine by MIP not only depends on the amount of silica deposited but also the available binding sites present on its surface. Selectivity of MIP was also verified by the competitive adsorption of caffeine and its structure analogs such as theophylline. Clearly, MIP showed greater and more rapid binding capabilities for caffeine than theophylline. At short contact times, the binding capability for caffeine is almost 1.8 times greater than the binding capabilities for theophylline.

Toward Anhydrous Proton Conductivity Based on Imidazole Functionalized Mesoporous Silica/Nafion Composite Membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amiinu, Ibrahim Saana; Li, Wei; Wang, Guangjin; Tu, Zhengkai; Tang, Haolin; Pan, Mu; Zhang, Haining

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Imidazole-functionalized mesoporous silica/Nafion composite is formed. • Electrostatic interaction between ionic clusters leads to enhanced molecular rigidity and T g . • Charge transfer resistance decreases with increase in temperature up to 130 °C. • The composite membrane exhibited considerable stability over 70 h at 130 °C. - Abstract: Although Nafion is regarded as the most preferred electrolyte membrane and often used as a benchmark for comparative evaluation of other electrolyte membranes, its wide spread for commercial PEM fuel cells is limited by the poor electrochemical properties at elevated temperatures and low relative humidity conditions. Herein, sol–gel synthesized mesoporous silica functionalized with a protogenic molecule (imidazole) is introduced into the Nafion matrix via a colloid mediated process. The formation of a stable colloid enables homogeneous dispersion of the silica-imidazole nanoparticles without aggregation. Under non-humidified conditions, the amphoteric and self-dissociative character of the tethered imidazole within the matrix functions as a transporting medium to facilitate proton conductivity. The structural and chemical phases are characterized, and qualitatively evaluated by XRD, TEM, FT-IR, TGA, and DMA. The results show that the average proton conductivity of the composite membrane with the optimal amount of functionalized nanoparticles increases progressively to 1.06 × 10 −2 S cm −1 at 130 °C, corresponding to an activation energy of 6.95 kJ mol −1 under non-humidified conditions. The mechanism governing the dynamics of proton conductivity and structural limitations as a function of temperature is discussed

Coherent-Interface-Assembled Ag2O-Anchored Nanofibrillated Cellulose Porous Aerogels for Radioactive Iodine Capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yun; Liu, Hongwei; Gao, Runan; Xiao, Shaoliang; Zhang, Ming; Yin, Yafang; Wang, Siqun; Li, Jian; Yang, Dongjiang

2016-10-26

Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) has received increasing attention in science and technology because of not only the availability of large amounts of cellulose in nature but also its unique structural and physical features. These high-aspect-ratio nanofibers have potential applications in water remediation and as a reinforcing scaffold in composites, coatings, and porous materials because of their fascinating properties. In this work, highly porous NFC aerogels were prepared based on tert-butanol freeze-drying of ultrasonically isolated bamboo NFC with 20-80 nm diameters. Then nonagglomerated 2-20-nm-diameter silver oxide (Ag 2 O) nanoparticles (NPs) were grown firmly onto the NFC scaffold with a high loading content of ∼500 wt % to fabricate Ag 2 O@NFC organic-inorganic composite aerogels (Ag 2 O@NFC). For the first time, the coherent interface and interaction mechanism between the cellulose I β nanofiber and Ag 2 O NPs are explored by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and 3D electron tomography. Specifically, a strong hydrogen between Ag 2 O and NFC makes them grow together firmly along a coherent interface, where good lattice matching between specific crystal planes of Ag 2 O and NFC results in very small interfacial straining. The resulting Ag 2 O@NFC aerogels take full advantage of the properties of the 3D organic aerogel framework and inorganic NPs, such as large surface area, interconnected porous structures, and supreme mechanical properties. They open up a wide horizon for functional practical usage, for example, as a flexible superefficient adsorbent to capture I - ions from contaminated water and trap I 2 vapor for safe disposal, as presented in this work. The viable binding mode between many types of inorganic NPs and organic NFC established here highlights new ways to investigate cellulose-based functional nanocomposites.

High thermal behavior of a new glass ceramic developed from silica xerogel/SnO{sub 2} composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aripin, H., E-mail: aripin@unsil.ac.id [Faculty of Learning Teacher and Education Science, Siliwangi University, Jl. Siliwangi 24 Tasikmalaya 46115, West Java (Indonesia); Mitsudo, Seitaro, E-mail: mitsudo@fir.u-fukui.ac.jp [Research Center for Development of Far Infrared Region (FIR Center), University of Fukui, Bunkyo 3-9-1 Fukui 910-8507 (Japan); Sudiana, I. Nyoman, E-mail: sudiana75@yahoo.com [Departement Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Haluoleo University, Kampus Bumi Tridharma Anduonohu, Kendari 93232 (Indonesia); Priatna, Edvin, E-mail: ujack05@yahoo.com [Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya (Indonesia); Sabchevski, Svilen, E-mail: sabch@ie.bas.bg [Lab. Plasma Physics and Engineering, Institute of Electronics of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Shose Blvd., Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria)

2016-02-08

In this investigation, a new glass ceramics have been produced by mixing SnO{sub 2} and amorphous silica xerogel (ASX) extracted from sago waste ash. The composition has been prepared by adding 10 mol% of SnO{sub 2} into SX. The samples have been dry pressed and sintered in the temperature range between 800 °C and 1500 °C. The effects of temperature on the crystallization of silica xerogel after adding SnO{sub 2} and their relationship to bulk density have been studied. The crystallization process of the silica xerogel/SnO{sub 2} composite has been examined by an X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the bulk density has been characterized on the basis of the experimental data obtained using Archimedes′ principle. It has been found that an addition of SnO{sub 2} confers an appreciable effect on the grain and from the interpretation of XRD patterns allow one to explain the increase in the density by an increased crystallite size of SnO{sub 2} in the composite.

Bio sorption process for uranium (VI) by using algae-yeast-silica gel composite adsorbent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turkozu, D. A.; Aytas, S.

2006-01-01

Many yeast, algae, bacteria and various aquatic flora are known to be capable of concentrating metal species from dilute aqueous solution. Many researcher have found that non-living biomaterials can be used to accumulate metal ions from environment. In recent studies, mainly two process are used in biosorption experiments. These are the use of free cells and the use of immobilized cells on a solid support. A variety of inert supports have been used to immobilize biomaterials either by adsorption or physical entrapment. This uptake is often considerable and frequently selective, and occurs via a variety of mechanisms including active transport, ion exchange or complexation, and adsorption or inorganic precipitation. Biosorbent may be used as an ion exchange material. Adsorption occurs through interaction of the metal ions with functional groups that are found in the cell wall biopolymers of either living or dead organisms. In this study, the algae-yeast-silica gel composite adsorbent was tested for its ability to recover U(VI) from diluted aqueous solutions. Macro marine algae (Jania rubens.), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and silica gel were used to prepare composite adsorbent. The ability of the composite biosorbent to adsorb uranium (VI) from aqueous solution has been studied at different optimized conditions of pH, concentration of U(VI), temperature, contact time and matrix ion effect was also investigated. The adsorption patterns of uranium on the composite biosorbent were investigated by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkhevic isotherms. The thermodynamic parameters such as variation of enthalpy ΔH, variation of entropy ΔS and variation of Gibbs free energy ΔG were calculated. The results suggested that the macro algae-yeast-silica gel composite sorbent is suitable as a new biosorbent material for removal of uranium ions from aqueous solutions

Efficient adsorption concentration and photolysis of acetaldehyde on titania-mesoporous silica composite

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Akihiko

2017-07-01

Titania-mesoporous silica composite (TiO2/MCM) was prepared by hydrolysis of titaniumtetraisopropoxide (TTIP) with the presence of mesoporous silica MCM-41. The TiO2/MCM samples consisted of highly dispersed TiO2 on the surface of MCM-41. Dynamic adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition features for acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) were measured by flow method. The amount of CH3CHO decomposition on TiO2/MCM-41 increased with the TiO2 amount, suggesting that a large amount of CH3CHO was adsorbed on mesopores of MCM-41 of the TiO2/MCM and was efficiently decomposed on finely dispersed TiO2 surface by ultraviolet irradiation.

Study of ageing effects in aerogel

CERN Document Server

Bellunato, T F; Coluzza, C; Longo, G; Matteuzzi, C; Musy, M; Negri, P; Perego, D L

2004-01-01

Ageing effects on aerogel due to irradiation and absorption of humidity have been investigated. Aerogel tiles have been exposed to gamma radiation from a 60-Co source and to proton and neutron high intensity beams. The transmittance has been monitored in the wavelength range between 200 nm and 800 nm, determining the clarity factor C as a function of the increasing dose of irradiation. The index of refraction n was also measured.

Flexible pressure sensor based on graphene aerogel microstructures functionalized with CdS nanocrystalline thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Plesco, Irina; Dragoman, Mircea; Strobel, Julian; Ghimpu, Lidia; Schütt, Fabian; Dinescu, Adrian; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Kienle, Lorenz; Adelung, Rainer; Tiginyanu, Ion

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report on functionalization of graphene aerogel with a CdS thin film deposited by magnetron sputtering and on the development of flexible pressure sensors based on ultra-lightweight CdS-aerogel nanocomposite. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis disclose the uniform deposition of nanocrystalline CdS films with quasi-stoichiometric composition. The piezoresistive response of the aforementioned nanocomposite in the pressure range from 1 to 5 atm is found to be more than one order of magnitude higher than that inherent to suspended graphene membranes, leading to an average sensitivity as high as 3.2 × 10-4 kPa-1.

Bluedec in product design: Isolatiemateriaal op basis van aerogel

OpenAIRE

Beurden, van, K.M.M. (Karin); Goselink, E.A. (Erik)

2014-01-01

Aerogel is een zeer kostbaar voor de ruimtevaart ontwikkeld basismateriaal. Bluedec is een isolatiemateriaal bestaande uit een non woven kunststof dat met deze aerogel geïmpregneerd is. Hierdoor ontstaat een zeer goed isolerend materiaal dat goedkoper is dan aerogel. De warmtegeleidingscoëfficiënt van Bluedec in de basisuitvoering is 0,0135 W/m*K . Dat is lager dan conventionele isolatiematerialen, zie ook pagina 4. Voordeel hiervan is dat vergelijkbare of betere warmte-isolati...

Synthesis and Characterization Carbon Nanotubes Doped Carbon Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yuelong; Yan, Meifang; Liu, Zhenfa

2017-12-01

Polycondensation of phloroglucinol, resorcinol and formaldehyde with carbon nanotube (CNT) as the additives, using sodium carbonate as the catalyst, leads to the formation of CNT - doped carbon aerogels. The structure of carbon aerogels (CAs) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The specific surface area, pore size distribution and pore volume were measured by surface area analyzer. The results show that when the optimum doping dosage is 5%, the specific surface area of CNT - doped carbon aerogel is up to 665 m2 g-1 and exhibit plentiful mesoporous.

Application of FT-IR Classification Method in Silica-Plant Extracts Composites Quality Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Bicu, A.; Drumea, V.; Mihaiescu, D. E.; Purcareanu, B.; Florea, M. A.; Trică, B.; Vasilievici, G.; Draga, S.; Buse, E.; Olariu, L.

2018-06-01

Our present work is concerned with the validation and quality testing efforts of mesoporous silica - plant extracts composites, in order to sustain the standardization process of plant-based pharmaceutical products. The synthesis of the silica support were performed by using a TEOS based synthetic route and CTAB as a template, at room temperature and normal pressure. The silica support was analyzed by advanced characterization methods (SEM, TEM, BET, DLS and FT-IR), and loaded with Calendula officinalis and Salvia officinalis standardized extracts. Further desorption studies were performed in order to prove the sustained release properties of the final materials. Intermediate and final product identification was performed by a FT-IR classification method, using the MID-range of the IR spectra, and statistical representative samples from repetitive synthetic stages. The obtained results recommend this analytical method as a fast and cost effective alternative to the classic identification methods.

Pressure resistance of copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate - carbon aerogel composites

Science.gov (United States)

Domán, Andrea; Nagy, Balázs; Nichele, Laura P.; Srankó, Dávid; Madarász, János; László, Krisztina

2018-03-01

The protective effect of a resorcinol - formaldehyde based carbon aerogel (CA) support was compared in two different forms of the hybrid made of copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxilate (HKUST-1) and CA. HKUST-1:CA with identical mass ratio (1:1). HKUST-1+CAis a physical mixture while in HKUST-1@CA the metal organic framework (MOF) crystals were grown on CA under solvothermal conditions. The effect of water vapour and the external pressure (25-200 bar) was investigated. TG/DTG data show that the prehistory of the samples has a strong influence on their thermal behaviour and nitrogen data suggest that part of the MOF grows in the wider pores of the HKUST-1@CA sample. Although there are no dramatic differences in the water adsorption isotherms, the physical mixture is slightly more proficient. In dry samples under compression the crystalline structure of the free HKUST-1 is well conserved. The nanoscale structure of the hybrids is sensitive to applied pressure and formation of mesopores of wide size distribution occurs. No significant difference was found between the corresponding CH4 adsorption isotherms of the composite samples, either in the as-prepared samples or after compression at 100 bar. After being exposed to high external pressure the CH4 uptake seems to be governed by the MOF.

Characterization of silica particles prepared via urease-catalyzed urea hydrolysis and activity of urease in sol–gel silica matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Katsuya; Nishida, Masakazu; Ito, Kimiyasu; Tomita, Masahiro

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Silica precipitation occurred via urease-catalytic reactions. ► Higher urease activity for silica synthesis enables mesostructure of silica–urease composites. ► Urease encapsulating in silica matrix retained high activity. - Abstract: Urease templated precipitation of silica synthesized by sol–gel chemistry produces a composite material allowing high urease activity. This study investigates the structural properties of the composite material that allow for the retention of the urease hydrolysis activity. Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy reveal that the composite has a mesoporous structure composed of closely packed spherical structures ∼20–50 nm in diameter. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the surface area and pore volume of the composite prepared under the conditions of 50 mM urea and 25 °C is relatively high (324 m 2 /g and 1.0 cm 3 /g). These values are equivalent to those of usual mesoporous silica materials synthesized from the self-assembly of triblock copolymers as organic templates. In addition, after encapsulating in a sol–gel silica matrix, urease retained high activity (∼90% of the activity compared with native urease). Our results suggest a new method for synthesizing mesoporous silica materials with highly tunable pore sizes and shapes under mild conditions.

Hydrothermal synthesis of layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/graphene composite aerogels for lithium-ion battery anode materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Bing; Wang, Zhixuan [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Gao, Yang; Chen, Lu [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China); Lu, Mengna [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Jiao, Zheng [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China); Jiang, Yong, E-mail: jiangyong@shu.edu.cn [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Ding, Yuanzhang [Jiangsu Aoxin New Energy Automobile Ltd., Jiangsu 224007 (China); Cheng, Lingli, E-mail: chenglingli@shu.edu.cn [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. • Few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS{sub 2} nanosheets are decorated on the surface of GNS homogeneously and tightly. • The growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites is proposed. • The composite delivers high specific capacity of 1085.0 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.1 A g{sup −1}. - Abstract: Layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/graphene aerogels (MoS{sub 2}/GA) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route, in which few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS{sub 2} nanosheets with high crystalline are decorated on the surface of graphene nanosheets homogeneously and tightly. The number of the MoS{sub 2} layers can be easily controlled through adjusting the amount of molybdenum source in the reaction system. Moreover, the growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites is proposed. The three-dimensional MoS{sub 2}/GA with macroporous micro-structure not only shortens the transportation length of electrons and ions, but also restrains the re-stacking of MoS{sub 2} effectively, stabilizing the electrode structure during repeated charging/discharging processes. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that this few-layer MoS{sub 2}/GA composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1085.0 mAh g{sup −1} at current density of 100 mA g{sup −1}, as well as extraordinarily high cycling stability and rate capability.

Synthesis and Properties of Cross-Linked Polyamide Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jarrod C.; Meador, Mary Ann; McCorkle, Linda

2015-01-01

We report the first synthesis of cross-linked polyamide aerogels through step growth polymerization using a combination of diamines, diacid chloride and triacid chloride. Polyamide oligomers endcapped with amines are prepared as stable solutions in N-methylpyrrolidinone from several different diamine precursors and 1,3-benzenedicarbonyl dichloride. Addition of 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride yields gels which form in under five minutes according to the scheme shown. Solvent exchange of the gels into ethanol, followed by drying using supercritical CO2 extraction gives colorless aerogels with densities around 0.1 to 0.2 gcm3. Thicker monolithes of the polyamide aerogels are stiff and strong, while thin films of certain formulations are highly flexible, durable, and even translucent. These materials may have use as insulation for deployable space structures, rovers, habitats or extravehicular activity suits as well as in many terrestrial applications. Strucure property relationships of the aerogels, including surface area, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity will be discussed.

Aerogel Antennas Communications Study Using Error Vector Magnitude Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Felix A.; Mueller, Carl H.; Meador, Mary Ann B.

2014-01-01

This presentation discusses an aerogel antennas communication study using error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements. The study was performed using 2x4 element polyimide (PI) aerogel-based phased arrays designed for operation at 5 GHz as transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) antennas separated by a line of sight (LOS) distance of 8.5 meters. The results of the EVM measurements demonstrate that polyimide aerogel antennas work appropriately to support digital communication links with typically used modulation schemes such as QPSK and 4 DQPSK. As such, PI aerogel antennas with higher gain, larger bandwidth and lower mass than typically used microwave laminates could be suitable to enable aerospace-to- ground communication links with enough channel capacity to support voice, data and video links from CubeSats, unmanned air vehicles (UAV), and commercial aircraft.

Aerogel Antennas Communications Study Using Error Vector Magnitude Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Felix A.; Mueller, Carl H.; Meador, Mary Ann B.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses an aerogel antennas communication study using error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements. The study was performed using 4x2 element polyimide (PI) aerogel-based phased arrays designed for operation at 5 GHz as transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) antennas separated by a line of sight (LOS) distance of 8.5 meters. The results of the EVM measurements demonstrate that polyimide aerogel antennas work appropriately to support digital communication links with typically used modulation schemes such as QPSK and pi/4 DQPSK. As such, PI aerogel antennas with higher gain, larger bandwidth and lower mass than typically used microwave laminates could be suitable to enable aerospace-to-ground communication links with enough channel capacity to support voice, data and video links from cubesats, unmanned air vehicles (UAV), and commercial aircraft.

Microporous silica membranes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boffa, Vittorio; Yue, Yuanzheng

2012-01-01

Hydrothermal stability is a crucial factor for the application of microporous silica-based membranes in industrial processes. Indeed, it is well established that steam exposure may cause densification and defect formation in microporous silica membranes, which are detrimental to both membrane...... permeability and selectivity. Numerous previous studies show that microporous transition metal doped-silica membranes are hydrothermally more stable than pure silica membranes, but less permeable. Here we present a quantitative study on the impact of type and concentration of transition metal ions...... on the microporous structure, stability and permeability of amorphous silica-based membranes, providing information on how to design chemical compositions and synthetic paths for the fabrication of silica-based membranes with a well accessible and highly stabile microporous structure....

Property control of graphene aerogels by in situ growth of silicone polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shuai; Zhou, Xiang; Hao, Gazi; Jiang, Wei; Wang, Tianhe

2018-05-01

Modulation of the density (from 3.5 to 64 mg cm-3), hydrophobicity and oil-uptake capability of graphene aerogels in extensive ranges were achieved by reacting (3-Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS) with graphene oxide solutions under heating. The reaction allowed a characteristic silicone substructure to be formed on graphene and joint the graphene layers firmly together. With the increase of MPS concentrations (≤ca. 0.2 vol%), the nano silicone polymer grown on graphene functioned as a "linker" and "spacer", leading to a substantial decrease of the aerogel density. Because of the formation of silicone polymer and the characteristic nano-micro substructures on the backbones of graphene aerogels, the graphene aerogels exhibited a high hydrophobicity with the water contact angle consistently exceeding 142 degrees. Functionalized graphene aerogels with a density of 3.5 mg cm-3 were conveniently fabricated that displayed an extraordinary oil absorption capacity, 182 times for lubricating oil and 143 times for n-hexane of its own weight. Furthermore, the aerogels maintained their ultra-high absorption capability even after 20 absorption-distillation cycles, due to structural integrity held by the strong interfacial adhesion between graphene sheets and polymer chains of aerogels. This study offers a promising graphene aerogels and also provides a strategy for fabricating extra low dense functional materials.

The effect of heat treatment on the magnitude and composition of residual gas in sealed silica glass ampoules

Science.gov (United States)

Palosz, W.; Szofran, F. R.; Lehoczky, S. L.

1994-01-01

The residual gas pressure and composition in sealed silica glass ampoules as a function of different treatment procedures has been investigated. The dependence of the residual gas on the outgassing and annealing parameters has been determined. The effects of the fused silica brand, of the ampoule fabrication, and of post-outgassing procedures have been evaluated.

Surface functionalized hollow silica particles and composites

KAUST Repository

Rodionov, Valentin

2017-05-26

Composition comprising hollow spherical silica particles having outside particle walls and inside particle walls, wherein the particles have an average particle size of about 10 nm to about 500 nm and an average wall thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm; and wherein the particles are functionalized with at least one organic functional group on the outside particle wall, on the inside particle wall, or on both the outside and inside particle walls, wherein the organic functional group is in a reacted or unreacted form. The organic functional group can be epoxy. The particles can be mixed with polymer precursor or a polymer material such as epoxy to form a prepreg or a nanocomposite. Lightweight but strong materials can be formed. Low loadings of hollow particles can be used.

Surface functionalized hollow silica particles and composites

KAUST Repository

Rodionov, Valentin; Khanh, Vu Bao

2017-01-01

Composition comprising hollow spherical silica particles having outside particle walls and inside particle walls, wherein the particles have an average particle size of about 10 nm to about 500 nm and an average wall thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm; and wherein the particles are functionalized with at least one organic functional group on the outside particle wall, on the inside particle wall, or on both the outside and inside particle walls, wherein the organic functional group is in a reacted or unreacted form. The organic functional group can be epoxy. The particles can be mixed with polymer precursor or a polymer material such as epoxy to form a prepreg or a nanocomposite. Lightweight but strong materials can be formed. Low loadings of hollow particles can be used.

Experimental and numerical investigation of form-stable dodecane/hydrophobic fumed silica composite phase change materials for cold energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jiajie; Ling, Ziye; Fang, Xiaoming; Zhang, Zhengguo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Form-stable dodecane/fumed silica composite for cold storage is prepared. • A suggesting hypothesis that explains infiltration mechanism is proposed. • The performance of the composite phase change material is investigated. • Numerical simulation of system is carried out and results fit well. - Abstract: A kind of form-stable composite phase change materials used for cold thermal energy storage is prepared by absorbing dodecane into the hydrophobic fumed silica. With relatively suitable pore diameter and hydrophobic groups, hydrophobic fumed silica is beneficial to the penetration and infiltration of dodecane and the leakage problem solving. Scanned by electron micrographs and Fourier transformation infrared, the composite phase change material is characterized to be just physical penetration. Besides, the differential scanning calorimeter and thermo gravimetric analysis reveals the high enthalpy, good thermal stability and cycling performance of this composite phase change material. What’s more, Hot-Disk thermal constants analyzer demonstrates that the composite phase change material has low thermal conductivity which is desired in cold storage application. In the experiment, a cold energy storage system is set up and the results from the experiment show that the system has excellent performance of cold storage by incorporating composite phase change material. Apart from that, the experimental data is found to have a great agreement with the numerical simulation which is carried out by using the commercial computational fluid dynamics software FLUENT.

Test of aerogel as Cherenkov radiator

CERN Document Server

Alemi, M; Calvi, M; Matteuzzi, C; Negri, P; Paganoni, M; Liko, D; Neufeld, N; Chesi, Enrico Guido; Joram, C; Séguinot, Jacques; Ypsilantis, Thomas

2001-01-01

Two different stacks of aerogel were tested in a pion/proton beam of momentum between 3 and 10 GeV/c. The optical characteristics of the aerogel samples were different: one sample was hygroscopic while the other was hydrophobic. Two HPD tubes were used as photodetectors, and different thicknesses of the stacks were used, in order to determine the photoelectron yield, the Cherenkov angle and its precision. Pion/proton separation has been demonstrated at momenta up to 10 GeV/c.

Novel mesoporous composites based on natural rubber and hexagonal mesoporous silica: Synthesis and characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuntang, Sakdinun; Poompradub, Sirilux [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Butnark, Suchada [PTT Research and Technology Institute, PTT Public Company Limited, Wangnoi, Ayutthaya 13170 (Thailand); Yokoi, Toshiyuki; Tatsumi, Takashi [Division of Catalytic Chemistry, Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Ngamcharussrivichai, Chawalit, E-mail: Chawalit.Ng@Chula.ac.th [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology (PETROMAT), Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2014-02-14

The present study is the first report on the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous composites based on natural rubber (NR) and hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS). A series of NR/HMS composites were prepared in tetrahydrofuran via an in situ sol–gel process using tetraethylorthosilicate as the silica precursor. The physicochemical properties of the composites were characterized by various techniques. The effects of the gel composition on the structural and textural properties of the NR/HMS composites were investigated. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and {sup 29}Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 29}Si MAS NMR) results revealed that the surface silanol groups of NR/HMS composites were covered with NR molecules. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data indicated an expansion of the hexagonal unit cell and channel wall thickness due to the incorporation of NR molecules into the mesoporous structure. NR/HMS composites also possessed nanosized particles (∼79.4 nm) as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size distribution analysis. From N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption measurement, the NR/HMS composites possessed a high BET surface area, large pore volume and narrow pore size distribution. Further, they were enhanced hydrophobicity confirmed by H{sub 2}O adsorption–desorption measurement. In addition, the mechanistic pathway of the NR/HMS composite formation was proposed. - Highlights: • NR molecules were incorporated into hexagonal meso-structure of HMS. • NR/HMS composites exhibited an expanded unit cell and channel wall thickness. • Nanosized NR/HMS composites with a lower particle size range were obtained. • NR/HMS had high surface area, large pore volume and narrow pore size distribution. • NR/HMS composites displayed an enhanced hydrophobicity.

Highly porous ceramic oxide aerogels having improved flexibility

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Mary Ann B. (Inventor); Nguyen, Baochau N. (Inventor); Guo, Haiquan (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Ceramic oxide aerogels having improved flexibility are disclosed. Preferred embodiments exhibit high modulus and other strength properties despite their improved flexibility. The gels may be polymer cross-linked via organic polymer chains to further improve strength properties, without substantially detracting from the improved flexibility. Methods of making such aerogels are also disclosed.

Highly transparent, flexible, and thermally stable superhydrophobic ORMOSIL aerogel thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Budunoglu, Hulya; Yildirim, Adem; Guler, Mustafa O; Bayindir, Mehmet

2011-02-01

We report preparation of highly transparent, flexible, and thermally stable superhydrophobic organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) aerogel thin films from colloidal dispersions at ambient conditions. The prepared dispersions are suitable for large area processing with ease of coating and being directly applicable without requiring any pre- or post-treatment on a variety of surfaces including glass, wood, and plastics. ORMOSIL films exhibit and retain superhydrophobic behavior up to 500 °C and even on bent flexible substrates. The surface of the films can be converted from superhydrophobic (contact angle of 179.9°) to superhydrophilic (contact angle of <5°) by calcination at high temperatures. The wettability of the coatings can be changed by tuning the calcination temperature and duration. The prepared films also exhibit low refractive index and high porosity making them suitable as multifunctional coatings for many application fields including solar cells, flexible electronics, and lab on papers.

Thermal properties of silica-filled high density polyethylene composites compatibilized with glut palmitate

Science.gov (United States)

Samsudin, Dalina; Ismail, Hanafi; Othman, Nadras; Hamid, Zuratul Ain Abdul

2017-07-01

A study of thermal properties resulting from the utilization of Glut Palmitate (GP) on the silica filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites was carried out. The composites with the incorporation of GP at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 phr were prepared by using an internal mixer at the temperature 180 °C and the rotor speed of 50 rpm. The thermal behaviours of the composites were then investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that the crystallinity and the thermal stability of the composites increased with the incorporation of GP. The highest crystallinity contents and decomposition temperatures were observed at the 1 phr GP loading.

Effect of different forms of silica on the physical and mechanical properties of gypsum plaster composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalil, A. A.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Gypsum plaster/silica composites prepared by dry blending (0.2-10 % natural sand, silica fume or silica gel and subsequently hydrated. Their physical and mechanical properties, including normal consistency, setting time, apparent porosity, bulk density and compressive strength, were determined after hydration for 7- and 28-days. The results indicated that adding different forms of silica lowered the bulk density and increased the normal consistency, setting time, apparent porosity and, to some limited extent, compressive strength of the composites. This improvement in properties can be attributed to the existence of silica in the interstitial pores in the hardened plaster matrices. While most of the composites revealed only scant rises in compressive strength, their composition was beneficial in so far as it included either a readily available low-cost constituent (sand or industrial by-products. Consequently, the formed plaster-silica composites are of economic value, contribute to a cleaner environment by minimizing waste and can be used for applications where high porosity, lightweight units are required or recommended for low-cost buildings.Se prepararon pastas compuestas de yeso y sílice mediante la mezcla en seco de yeso con distintas proporciones (0,2- 10 % de arena natural, o gel o humo de sílice, procediéndose a continuación a su hidratación. A fin de determinar las propiedades físicas y mecánicas de las pastas, a los 7 y los 28 días de hidratación se hallaron su fluidez, tiempo de fraguado, porosidad aparente, densidad aparente y resistencia a la compresión. Los resultados obtenidos indican que al incorporar las distintas modalidades de sílice a la mezcla, disminuyó la densidad aparente y aumentaron la fluidez, el tiempo de fraguado, la porosidad aparente y, en menor medida, la resistencia a la compresión de las muestras. Se considera que esta mejora de las propiedades del material se debe a la presencia de sílice en los

Effect of catalyst on melamine-formaldehyde organic aerogel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Zhipeng; Yang Xi; Fu Zhibing; Zhong Minglong; Wang Chaoyang; Ma Kangfu; Huang Xiaoli; Chang Lijuan

2013-01-01

A series of melamine-formaldehyde(MF) organic aerogel templates were prepared with different categories and concentration of catalyst. Their molecular structure, thermal stability and pore structure were tested by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrogen adsorption. It is indicated that the type and concentration of catalyst do not affect molecular structure and thermal stability of the MF organic aerogel template. The specific surface area and pore volume of the MF organic aerogel template using Na 2 CO 3 as catalyst are higher than those using NaOH, NaHCO 3 as catalyst. When the ratio of the concentration of melamine to that of catalyst is 500, the specific surface area is maximized. (authors)

Improving thermal insulation of TC4 using YSZ-based coating and SiO2 aerogel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, air plasmas spray (APS was used to prepare YSZ and Sc2O3–YSZ (ScYSZ coating in order to improve the thermal insulation ability of TC4 alloy. SiO2 aerogel was also synthesized and affixed on TC4 titanium alloy to inhabit thermal flow. The microstructures, phase compositions and thermal insulation performance of three coatings were analyzed in detail. The results of thermal diffusivity test by a laser flash method showed that the thermal diffusivities of YSZ, Sc2O3–YSZ and SiO2 aerogel are 0.553, 0.539 and 0.2097×10−6 m2/s, respectively. Then, the thermal insulation performances of three kinds of coating were investigated from 20 °C to 400 °C using high infrared radiation heat flux technology. The experimental results indicated that the corresponding temperature difference between the top TC4 alloy (400 °C and the bottom surface of YSZ is 41.5 °C for 0.6 mm thickness coating. For 1 mm thickness coating, the corresponding temperature difference between the top TC4 alloys (400 °C and the bottom surface of YSZ, ScYSZ, SiO2 aerogel three specimens is 54, 54.6 and 208 °C, respectively. The coating thickness and species were found to influence the heat insulation ability. In these materials, YSZ and ScYSZ exhibited a little difference for heat insulation behavior. However, SiO2 aerogel was the best one among them and it can be taken as protection material on TC4 alloys. In outer space, SiO2 aerogel can meet the need of thermal insulation of TC4 of high-speed aircraft.

The RICH with Aerogel for the LHCb Experiment

CERN Document Server

Bellunato, T; Matteuzzi, C; Musy, M; Negri, P; Perego, D L

2006-01-01

We report on the status of the art of the aerogel project for LHCb, from the production, in terms of specifications and achieved quality, to the optical and beam tests performed to qualify the material as a Cherenkov radiator. A brief summary of the ageing and radiation tolerance tests performed on some aerogel tiles is also given.

The RICH with Aerogel for the LHCb Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Perego, D.L.

2006-01-01

We report on the status of the art of the aerogel project for LHCb, from the production, in terms of specifications and achieved quality, to the optical and beam tests performed to qualify the material as a Cherenkov radiator. A brief summary of the ageing and radiation tolerance tests performed on some aerogel tiles is also given

Kinetics and isotherm studies of methylene blue adsorption onto polyaniline nanotubes base/silica composite

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ayad, M. M.; Abu El-Nasr, A.; Stejskal, Jaroslav

2012-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 6 (2012), s. 1964-1969 ISSN 1226-086X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/09/1626 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : polyaniline nanotubes * silica * composite Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 2.145, year: 2012

Ultralight Graphene/Carbon Nanotubes Aerogels with Compressibility and Oil Absorption Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Da Zhao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Graphene aerogels have many advantages, such as low density, high elasticity and strong adsorption. They are considered to be widely applicable in many fields. At present, the most valuable research area aims to find a convenient and effective way to prepare graphene aerogels with excellent properties. In this work graphene/carbon nanotube aerogels are prepared through hydrothermal reduction, freeze-drying and high temperature heat treatment with the blending of graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes. A new reducing agent-ascorbic acid is selected to explore the best preparation process. The prepared aerogels have compression and resilience and oil absorption properties due to the addition of carbon nanotubes as designed.

Organic aerogels from the sol-gel polymerization of phenolic-furfural mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Pekala, R.W.

1995-12-19

The sol-gel polymerization of a phenolic-furfural mixture in dilute solution leads to a highly cross-linked network that can be supercritically dried to form a high surface area foam. These porous materials have cell/pore sizes{<=}1000{angstrom}, and although they are dark brown in color, they can be classified as a new type of aerogel. The phenolic-furfural aerogel can be pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere at 1050 C to produce carbon aerogels. This new aerogel may be used for thermal insulation, chromatographic packing, water filtration, ion-exchange, and carbon electrodes for energy storage devices, such as batteries and double-layer capacitors. 8 figs.

Adsorption and desorption of cationic malachite green dye on cellulose nanofibril aerogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Feng; Dinh, Darren M; Hsieh, You-Lo

2017-10-01

Ultra-light aerogels have been assembled from cellulose nanofibrils into hierarchically macroporous (several hundred μm) honeycomb cellular structure surrounded with mesoporous (8-60nm) thin walls. The high specific surface (193m 2 /g) and surface carboxyl content (1.29mmol/g) of these aerogels were demonstrated to be highly capable of removing cationic malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous media. The rapid MG adsorption was driven by electrostatic interactions and followed a pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic and monolayer Langmuir adsorption isotherm. At a low 1:5mg/mL aerogel/MG ratio, both initial MG adsorption rate (2.3-59.8mgg -1 min -1 ) and equilibrium adsorption capacity (53.0-203.7mgg -1 ) increased with increasing initial MG concentrations from 10 to 200mg/L, reaching a maximum adsorption of 212.7mgg -1 . The excellent dye removal efficiency was demonstrated by complete MG removal through four repetitive adsorptions at a low 1:5mg/mL aerogel/MG ratio and 10mg/L dye concentration as well as 92% MG adsorption in a single batch at one order of magnitude higher10:5mg/mL aerogel/MG ratio and 100mg/L dye concentration. The adsorbed MG in aerogels could be desorbed in aqueous media by increasing ionic strength, demonstrating facile recovery of both dye and aerogel as well as the robust capability of this aerogel for repetitive applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Well-dispersed LiFePO4 nanoparticles anchored on a three-dimensional graphene aerogel as high-performance positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xiaohui; Zhou, Yingke; Tu, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Zhongtang; Du, Guodong

2017-02-01

A three-dimensional graphene aerogel supporting LiFePO4 nanoparticles (LFP/GA) has been synthesized by a hydrothermal process. The morphology and microstructure of LFP/GA were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The electrochemical properties were evaluated by constant-current charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Well-distributed LFP nanoparticles are anchored on both sides of graphene and then assemble into a highly porous three-dimensional aerogel architecture. Conductive graphene networks provide abundant paths to facilitate the transfer of electrons, while the aerogel structures offer plenty of interconnected open pores for the storage of electrolyte to enable the fast supply of Li ions. The LFP and graphene aerogel composites present superior specific capacity, rate capability and cycling performance in comparison to the pristine LFP or LFP supported on graphene sheets and are thus promising for lithium-ion battery applications.

Green synthesis of hybrid graphene oxide/microcrystalline cellulose aerogels and their use as superabsorbents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Xiao; Huang, Ting; Yang, Jing-hui; Zhang, Nan; Wang, Yong, E-mail: yongwang1976@163.com; Zhou, Zuo-wan

2017-08-05

Highlights: • Hybrid GO/MCC aerogels were prepared using LiBr aqueous solution as the solvent. • GO was exfoliated by MCC through the strong interaction between them. • The adsorption ability of GO per unit mass in the hybrid aerogels was greatly enhanced. - Abstract: In this work, we developed a green synthesis method to prepare the hybrid aerogels containing graphene oxide (GO) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) using lithium bromide (LiBr) aqueous solution as the solvent, which insured the complete dissolution of MCC. The interaction between GO and MCC was investigated through different methods The results demonstrate that there is a strong interaction between GO and MCC molecules, which promotes the exfoliation of GO in the hybrid aerogels. The hybrid GO/MCC aerogels exhibit typical three dimensional porous structure and the pore morphology can be well adjusted by changing the content of GO. The adsorption ability of the hybrid aerogels was measured using methylene blue (MB) as an adsorbate. The results show that the adsorption ability of GO per unit mass is greatly enhanced compared with the pure GO aerogel, especially at relatively low GO content the adsorption amount of GO per unit mass is enhanced up to 2630 mg/g. Further results demonstrate that the hybrid GO/MCC aerogels still obey the pseudo-second-order adsorption model, which is similar to that of the pure GO aerogel. The mechanism for the amplified adsorption ability of GO in the hybrid GO/MCC aerogels is then analyzed.

Green synthesis of hybrid graphene oxide/microcrystalline cellulose aerogels and their use as superabsorbents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Xiao; Huang, Ting; Yang, Jing-hui; Zhang, Nan; Wang, Yong; Zhou, Zuo-wan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid GO/MCC aerogels were prepared using LiBr aqueous solution as the solvent. • GO was exfoliated by MCC through the strong interaction between them. • The adsorption ability of GO per unit mass in the hybrid aerogels was greatly enhanced. - Abstract: In this work, we developed a green synthesis method to prepare the hybrid aerogels containing graphene oxide (GO) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) using lithium bromide (LiBr) aqueous solution as the solvent, which insured the complete dissolution of MCC. The interaction between GO and MCC was investigated through different methods The results demonstrate that there is a strong interaction between GO and MCC molecules, which promotes the exfoliation of GO in the hybrid aerogels. The hybrid GO/MCC aerogels exhibit typical three dimensional porous structure and the pore morphology can be well adjusted by changing the content of GO. The adsorption ability of the hybrid aerogels was measured using methylene blue (MB) as an adsorbate. The results show that the adsorption ability of GO per unit mass is greatly enhanced compared with the pure GO aerogel, especially at relatively low GO content the adsorption amount of GO per unit mass is enhanced up to 2630 mg/g. Further results demonstrate that the hybrid GO/MCC aerogels still obey the pseudo-second-order adsorption model, which is similar to that of the pure GO aerogel. The mechanism for the amplified adsorption ability of GO in the hybrid GO/MCC aerogels is then analyzed.

Low methanol permeable composite Nafion/silica/PWA membranes for low temperature direct methanol fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Weilin; Lu Tianhong; Liu Changpeng; Xing Wei

2005-01-01

Nafion/silica/phosphotungstic acid (PWA) composite membranes were studied for low temperature ( max = 70 mW/cm 2 ) than those of commercial Nafion without treatment (OCV = 0.68 V, P max = 62 mW/cm 2 ) at 80 deg. C

Phenolic composition of pomegranate peel extracts using an LC-MS approach with silica hydride columns

Science.gov (United States)

The peels of different pomegranate cultivars (Molla Nepes, Parfianka, Purple Heart, Wonderful and Vkunsyi) were compared in terms of phenolic composition and total phenolics. Analyses were performed on two silica hydride-based stationary phases: phenyl and undecenoic acid columns. Quantitation was ...

Mesoporous silica/polyacrylamide composite: Preparation by UV-graft photopolymerization, characterization and use as Hg(II) adsorbent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saad, Ali, E-mail: ali.saad8803@gmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Molecules and Applications, IPEST, University of Carthage, Sidi Bou Said road, B.P. 51, 2070 La Marsa (Tunisia); Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université El Manar, PO Box 248, El Manar II, 2092 Tunis (Tunisia); Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086, CNRS, F-75013 Paris (France); Bakas, Idriss [Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086, CNRS, F-75013 Paris (France); Laboratoire AQUAMAR, Equipe Matériaux Photocatalyse et Environnement, Faculté des Sciences, Université Ibn Zohr, B.P. 8106, Cité Dakhla, Agadir (Morocco); Piquemal, Jean-Yves; Nowak, Sophie [Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086, CNRS, F-75013 Paris (France); Abderrabba, Manef, E-mail: abderrabbamanef@gmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Molecules and Applications, IPEST, University of Carthage, Sidi Bou Said road, B.P. 51, 2070 La Marsa (Tunisia); Chehimi, Mohamed M., E-mail: chehimi@icmpe.cnrs.fr [Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086, CNRS, F-75013 Paris (France); Université Paris Est, ICMPE (UMR7182), CNRS, UPEC, F-94320 Thiais (France)

2016-03-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mesoporous silica/polyacrylamide nanocomposite adsorbent was prepared by UV-graft polymerization. • Polyacrylamide was successfully grafted onto the silanized mesoporous silica. • The Hg(II) adsorption capacity of the nanocomposite was as high as 177 mg g{sup −1} after 1 h at RT. • Adsorption process was found to fit pseudo second order kinetics and exothermic. - Abstract: MCM-41 ordered mesoporous silica was prepared, aminosilanized and grafted with polyacrylamide (PAAM) through in situ radical photopolymerization process. The resulting composite, denoted PAAM-NH{sub 2}-MCM-41, the calcined and silanized reference MCM-41s were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N{sub 2} physisorption at 77 K. These complementary techniques brought strong supporting evidence for the silanization process followed by PAAM grafting. The surface composition was found to be PAAM-rich as judged by XPS. The composite was then employed for the uptake of Hg(II) from aqueous solutions. Adsorption was monitored versus pH, time, and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity at 25 °C and pH 5.2 was 177 mg g{sup −1}. Kinetically, the equilibrium was reached within 60 min for a 100 mg L{sup −1} mercury solution. The adsorption of Hg(II) on PAAM-NH{sub 2}-MCM-41 composites followed second order kinetics. Thermodynamic parameters suggested that the favorable adsorption process is exothermic in nature and the adsorption is ascribed to a decrease in the degree of freedom of adsorbed ions which results in the entropy change. This work conclusively shows that mesoporous silica–polymer hybrid metal ion adsorbents (with robust silica–polymer interface) can be prepared in a simple way by in situ radical photopolymerization in the presence of

Supercritical methanol drying as a convenient route to phenolic-furfural aerogels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albert, Donald F.; Bruno, Joseph W. [Department of Chemistry, Wesleyan University, 06459 Middletown, CT (United States); Andrews, Greg R.; Mendenhall, Robert S. [American Aerogel Corporation, 1000 Corporate Row, 06416 Cromwell, CT (United States)

2001-12-01

Organic aerogels are prepared by the acid catalyzed cross-linking of phenolic-furfural (PF) precursors in methanol solution, and the solvent is subsequently removed at high temperature as the supercritical fluid. The resulting aerogel is a brown opaque solid and has been prepared as 30 ml cylindrical monoliths exhibiting little or no shrinkage during formation. These solids, which are routinely available with a density as low as ca. 125mg/cm{sup 3}, have been characterized by chemical methods (infrared spectroscopy and CP-MAS 13C NMR spectrometry) and physical techniques (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area, transmission and scanning electron microscopy). In addition, thermal conductivities have been determined, and show that the PF aerogels are excellent thermal insulators. These studies establish that the materials described herein exhibit chemical and physical properties very similar to those seen for organic aerogels prepared with low temperature processing techniques. The current method constitutes a convenient and rapid route to organic aerogels.

Modification of a Phenolic Resin with Epoxy- and Methacrylate-Functionalized Silica Sols to Improve the Ablation Resistance of Their Glass Fiber-Reinforced Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Hu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Functionalized silica sols were obtained by the hydrolytic condensation of (γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPMS, (γ-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPMS and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS. Three different sols were obtained: MPS (derived from MPMS and TEOS, GPS-MPS (derived from GPMS, MPMS and TEOS, and GPSD (derived from GPMS, TEOS and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA. These silica sols were mixed with a phenolic resin (PR. Ethylenediamine was used as a hardener for epoxy-functionalized sols and benzoyl peroxide was used as an initiator of the free-radical polymerization of methacrylate-functionalized silica sols. Glass fiber-reinforced composites were obtained from the neat PR and MPS-PR, GPS-MPS-PR and GPSD-PR. The resulting composites were evaluated as ablation resistant materials in an acetylene-oxygen flame. A large increase in the ablation resistance was observed when the PR was modified by the functionalized silica sols. The ablation resistance of the composites decreased as follows: GPSD-PR > MPS-PR > GPS-MPS-PR > PR.

Carbon Papers and Aerogels Based on Graphene Layers and Chitosan: Direct Preparation from High Surface Area Graphite.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbera, Vincenzina; Guerra, Silvia; Brambilla, Luigi; Maggio, Mario; Serafini, Andrea; Conzatti, Lucia; Vitale, Alessandra; Galimberti, Maurizio

2017-12-11

In this work, carbon papers and aerogels based on graphene layers and chitosan were prepared. They were obtained by mixing chitosan (CS) and a high surface area nanosized graphite (HSAG) in water in the presence of acetic acid. HSAG/CS water dispersions were stable for months. High resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of few graphene layers in water suspensions. Casting or lyophilization of such suspensions led to the preparation of carbon paper and aerogel, respectively. In X-ray spectra of both aerogels and carbon paper, peaks due to regular stacks of graphene layers were not detected: graphene with unaltered sp 2 structure was obtained directly from graphite without the use of any chemical reaction. The composites were demonstrated to be electrically conductive thanks to the graphene. Chitosan thus makes it possible to obtain monolithic carbon aerogels and flexible and free-standing graphene papers directly from a nanosized graphite by avoiding oxidation to graphite oxide and successive reduction. Strong interaction between polycationic chitosan and the aromatic substrate appears to be at the origin of the stability of HSAG/CS adducts. Cation-π interaction is hypothesized, also on the basis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy findings. This work paves the way for the easy large-scale preparation of carbon papers through a method that has a low environmental impact and is based on a biosourced polymer, graphene, and water.

Infrared Spectroscopic Study on Structural Change and Interfacial Interaction in Rubber Composites Filled with Silica-Kaolin Hybrid Fillers

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y.; Guan, J.; Hu, H.; Gao, H.; Zhang, L.

2016-07-01

A series of natural rubber/styrene butadiene rubber/polybutadiene rubber composites was prepared with nanometer silica and micron kaolin by a dry modification process, mechanical compounding, and mold vulcanization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscope were used to investigate the structural changes and interfacial interactions in composites. The results showed that the "seesaw" structure was formed particularly with the incorporation of silica particles in the preparation process, which would be beneficial to the dispersibility of fillers in the rubber matrix. The kaolinite platelets were generally arranged in directional alignment. Kaolinite with smaller particle size and low-defect structure was more stable in preparation, but kaolinite with larger particle size and high defect structure tended to change the crystal structure. The composite prepared in this research exhibited excellent mechanical and thermal properties.

Extraction of amino acids from aerogel for analysis by capillary electrophoresis. Implications for a mission concept to Enceladus' Plume.

Science.gov (United States)

Mora, Maria F; Jones, Steve M; Creamer, Jessica; Willis, Peter A

2018-02-01

Ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus in the outer solar system are prime targets in the search for life beyond Earth. Enceladus is particularly interesting due to the presence of a water plume ejecting from the south polar region. The recent discovery of H 2 in the plume, in addition to the presence of previously observed organic compounds, highlights the possibility of life in this moon. The plume provides materials from the underlying ocean that could be collected simply by flying through it. The presence of the plume means that material from the ocean is available for collection during a flyby, without the need for landing or complex sample handling operations such as scooping or drilling. An attractive approach to preserve the organics in particles collected during flyby encounters would be to utilize silica aerogel, the material used to collect particles at hypervelocity during the Stardust mission. Here we demonstrate amino acids can be extracted from aerogel simply by adding water. This simple liquid extraction method could be implemented during a mission prior to analysis with a liquid-based technique like capillary electrophoresis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Methods for controlling pore morphology in aerogels using electric fields and products thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Worsley, Marcus A.; Baumann, Theodore F.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Olson, Tammy Y.; Kuntz, Joshua D.; Rose, Klint A.

2017-12-16

In one embodiment, an aerogel or xerogel includes column structures of a material having minor pores therein and major pores devoid of the material positioned between the column structures, where longitudinal axes of the major pores are substantially parallel to one another. In another embodiment, a method includes heating a sol including aerogel or xerogel precursor materials to cause gelation thereof to form an aerogel or xerogel and exposing the heated sol to an electric field, wherein the electric field causes orientation of a microstructure of the sol during gelation, which is retained by the aerogel or xerogel. In one approach, an aerogel has elongated pores extending between a material arranged in column structures having structural characteristics of being formed from a sol exposed to an electric field that causes orientation of a microstructure of the sol during gelation which is retained by the elongated pores of the aerogel.

Highly Porous, Rigid-Rod Polyamide Aerogels with Superior Mechanical Properties and Unusually High Thermal Conductivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jarrod C; Nguyen, Baochau N; McCorkle, Linda; Scheiman, Daniel; Griffin, Justin S; Steiner, Stephen A; Meador, Mary Ann B

2017-01-18

We report here the fabrication of polyamide aerogels composed of poly-p-phenylene-terephthalamide, the same backbone chemistry as DuPont's Kevlar. The all-para-substituted polymers gel without the use of cross-linker and maintain their shape during processing-an improvement over the meta-substituted cross-linked polyamide aerogels reported previously. Solutions containing calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) and para-phenylenediamine (pPDA) in N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP) at low temperature are reacted with terephthaloyl chloride (TPC). Polymerization proceeds over the course of 5 min resulting in gelation. Removal of the reaction solvent via solvent exchange followed by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide provides aerogels with densities ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 g/cm 3 , depending on the concentration of calcium chloride, the formulated number of repeat units, n, and the concentration of polymer in the reaction mixture. These variables were assessed in a statistical experimental study to understand their effects on the properties of the aerogels. Aerogels made using at least 30 wt % CaCl 2 had the best strength when compared to aerogels of similar density. Furthermore, aerogels made using 30 wt % CaCl 2 exhibited the lowest shrinkage when aged at elevated temperatures. Notably, whereas most aerogel materials are highly insulating (thermal conductivities of 10-30 mW/m K), the polyamide aerogels produced here exhibit remarkably high thermal conductivities (50-80 mW/(m K)) at the same densities as other inorganic and polymer aerogels. These high thermal conductivities are attributed to efficient phonon transport by the rigid-rod polymer backbone. In conjunction with their low cost, ease of fabrication with respect to other polymer aerogels, low densities, and high mass-normalized strength and stiffness properties, these aerogels are uniquely valuable for applications such as lightweighting in consumer electronics, automobiles, and aerospace where weight reduction is

Performance of aerogel as Cherenkov radiator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Braem, A.; Chesi, E.; Hansen, C.; Liko, D.; Joram, C.; Neufeld, N.; Seguinot, J.; Weilhammer, P.; Buzykaev, A.R.; Kravchenko, E.A.; Onuchin, A.P.; Danilyuk, A.F.; Easo, S.; Wotton, S.; Jolly, S.

2004-01-01

Aerogel with index of refraction around 1.03 has been studied as Cherenkov radiator in a test at CERN PS using a π - and a mixed π + /p beam of momenta between 6 and 10 GeV/c. The Cherenkov photons were detected by means of four large HPD tubes designed and constructed at CERN. Results on the photoelectron yield, the Cherenkov angle and its resolution, and the π/p separation are obtained. The performances measured demonstrate that a RICH with aerogel is a viable detector for experiments with high multiplicity of particles in the final state

Adsorption of Pb(II) using silica gel composite from rice husk ash modified 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-activated carbon from coconut shell

Science.gov (United States)

Yusmaniar, Purwanto, Agung; Putri, Elfriyana Awalita; Rosyidah, Dzakiyyatur

2017-03-01

Silica gel modified by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was synthesized from rice husk ash combined with activated carbon from coconut shell yielded the composite adsorbent. The composite was characterized by Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Electron Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), Surface Area Analyzer (SAA) and adsorption test by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). This composite adsorbent has been used moderately for the removal of lead ions from metal solutions and compared with silica gel modified APTES and activated carbon. The adsorption experiments of Pb -ions by adsorbents were performed at different pH and contact time with the same metal solutions concentration, volume solution, and adsorbent dosage. The optimum pH for the adsorption was found to be 5.0 and the equilibrium was achieved for Pb with 20 min of contact time. Pb ions adsorption by composite silica gel modified APTES-activated carbon followed by Langmuir isotherm model with qmax value of 46.9483 mg/g that proved an adsorbent mechanism consistent to the mechanism of monolayer formation.

Multilayered sulphonated polysulfone/silica composite membranes for fuel cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padmavathi, Rajangam; Karthikumar, Rajendhiran; Sangeetha, Dharmalingam

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Multilayered membranes were fabricated with SPSu. ► Aminated polysulfone and silica were used as the layers in order to prevent the crossover of methanol. ► The methanol permeability and selectivity ratio proved a strong influence on DMFC application. ► The suitability of the multilayered membranes was studied in the lab made set-ups of PEMFC and DMFC. - Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membranes used in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) suffer from low dimensional stability. Hence multilayered membranes using sulfonated polysulfone (SPSu) and silica (SiO 2 ) were fabricated to alter such properties. The introduction of an SiO 2 layer between two layers of SPSu to form the multilayered composite membrane enhanced its dimensional stability, but slightly lowered its proton conductivity when compared to the conventional SPSu/SiO 2 composite membrane. Additionally, higher water absorption, lower methanol permeability and higher flame retardancy were also observed in this newly fabricated multilayered membrane. The performance evaluation of the 2 wt% SiO 2 loaded multilayered membrane in DMFC showed a maximum power density of 86.25 mW cm −2 , which was higher than that obtained for Nafion 117 membrane (52.8 mW cm −2 ) in the same single cell test assembly. Hence, due to the enhanced dimensional stability, reduced methanol permeability and higher maximum power density, the SPSu/SiO 2 /SPSu multilayered membrane can be a viable and a promising candidate for use as an electrolyte membrane in DMFC applications, when compared to Nafion.

European Science Notes Information Bulletin. Reports on Current European and Middle Eastern Science

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

actuators, windshield wipers, and aircraft instru- ment displays. The concept of operation is that a flat array of piezoelectric elements forms the "stator...Inorganiques - "* Aluminosilicate Fractal Aerogels J. C. Bernier "* Sol-gel Transition and Aging of Silica-based * Ceramic Powders Gels * Sols and Colloidal...34* Structural and Vibration Modes of Aerogels * Colloidal Precursors for Ceramic Materials "* Mechanical Properties of Silica Gels and Aerogels Centre

Controversial effects of fumed silica on the curing and thermomechanical properties of epoxy composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The effect of fumed silica on the curing of a trimethylolpropane epoxy resin was investigated by thermal analysis methods like Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC, and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA. The fumed silica used here is a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon industry, consisting of micro and nanosized particles. Both the curing reaction and the properties of the obtained composites were affected by the filler content. Different trends were observed for filler contents above and below the 30 wt%. Up to 30 wt%, the behaviour can be explained as a predominantly agglomeration effect. For 30 wt% and higher filler contents, single particles seem to play a more important role.

Transparent, Superflexible Doubly Cross-Linked Polyvinylpolymethylsiloxane Aerogel Superinsulators via Ambient Pressure Drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Zu, Guoqing; Shimizu, Taiyo; Kanamori, Kazuyoshi; Zhu, Yang; Maeno, Ayaka; Kaji, Hironori; Shen, Jun; Nakanishi, Kazuki

2018-01-23

Aerogels have many attractive properties but are usually costly and mechanically brittle, which always limit their practical applications. While many efforts have been made to reinforce the aerogels, most of the reinforcement efforts sacrifice the transparency or superinsulating properties. Here we report superflexible polyvinylpolymethylsiloxane, (CH 2 CH(Si(CH 3 )O 2/2 )) n , aerogels that are facilely prepared from a single precursor vinylmethyldimethoxysilane or vinylmethyldiethoxysilane without organic cross-linkers. The method is based on consecutive processes involving radical polymerization and hydrolytic polycondensation, followed by ultralow-cost, highly scalable, ambient-pressure drying directly from alcohol as a drying medium without any modification or additional solvent exchange. The resulting aerogels and xerogels show a homogeneous, tunable, highly porous, doubly cross-linked nanostructure with the elastic polymethylsiloxane network cross-linked with flexible hydrocarbon chains. An outstanding combination of ultralow cost, high scalability, uniform pore size, high surface area, high transparency, high hydrophobicity, excellent machinability, superflexibility in compression, superflexibility in bending, and superinsulating properties has been achieved in a single aerogel or xerogel. This study represents a significant progress of porous materials and makes the practical applications of transparent flexible aerogel-based superinsulators realistic.

Organic carbon aerogels from the sol-gel polymerization of phenolic-furfural mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Pekala, R.W.

1998-04-28

The sol-gel polymerization of a phenolic-furfural mixture in dilute solution leads to a highly cross-linked network that can be supercritically dried to form a high surface area foam. These porous materials have cell/pore sizes {<=}1000 {angstrom}, and although they are dark brown in color, they can be classified as a new type of aerogel. The phenolic-furfural aerogel can be pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere at 1050 C to produce carbon aerogels. This new aerogel may be used for thermal insulation, chromatographic packing, water filtration, ion-exchange, and carbon electrodes for energy storage devices, such as batteries and double-layer capacitors. 8 figs.

MASS BALANCE OF SILICA IN STRAW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SILICA REDUCTION IN STRAW PULP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celil Atik,

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The high silica content of wheat straw is an important limiting factor for straw pulping. High silica content complicates processing and black liquor recovery, wears out factory installations, and lowers paper quality. Each section of wheat straw has different cells and chemical compositions and thus different silica content. In this work, the silica content of balled straw samples were examined according to their physical components, including internodes, nodes, leaves (sheath and blade, rachis, grain, other plant bodies, and other plant spikes. Mass distribution of silica was determined by a dry ashing method. Half (50.90% of the silica comes from leaves, and its mechanical separation will reduce the silica content in wheat straw pulp significantly. Destroying silica bodies by sonication will increase the strength properties of straw pulp.

Waste vitrification: prediction of acceptable compositions in a lime-soda-silica glass-forming system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilliam, T.M.; Jantzen, C.M.

1996-10-01

A model is presented based upon calculated bridging oxygens which allows the prediction of the region of acceptable glass compositions for a lime-soda-silica glass-forming system containing mixed waste. The model can be used to guide glass formulation studies (e.g., treatability studies) or assess the applicability of vitrification to candidate waste streams

Aerogel-Based Insulation for Industrial Steam Distribution Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John Williams

2011-03-30

Thermal losses in industrial steam distribution systems account for 977 trillion Btu/year in the US, more than 1% of total domestic energy consumption. Aspen Aerogels worked with Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program to specify, develop, scale-up, demonstrate, and deliver Pyrogel XT®, an aerogel-based pipe insulation, to market to reduce energy losses in industrial steam systems. The product developed has become Aspen’s best selling flexible aerogel blanket insulation and has led to over 60 new jobs. Additionally, this product has delivered more than ~0.7 TBTU of domestic energy savings to date, and could produce annual energy savings of 149 TBTU by 2030. Pyrogel XT’s commercial success has been driven by it’s 2-4X better thermal performance, improved durability, greater resistance to corrosion under insulation (CUI), and faster installation times than incumbent insulation materials.

Synthesis and Characterization of 1-Methyl-3-Methoxysilyl Propyl Imidazolium Chloride – Mesoporous Silica Composite as Adsorbent for Dehydration in Industrial Processes

OpenAIRE

Liévano,Javier F. Plata; Díaz,Luz A. Carreno

2016-01-01

Ionic liquid – mesoporous silica composite was synthesized as a new adsorbent for dehydration in industrial processes. An ionic liquid (IL) with proved dehydration properties has been covalently anchored to mesoporous silica. The parameters of the synthesis were studied to produce a solid and stable composite. The material was then characterized by SEM, BET, FTIR, NMR, Raman, XRD, XRF, MALDI and LDI confirming the presence of a covalent bond between the ionic liquid and the solid matrix...

Cytotoxic evaluation of hydroxyapatite-filled and silica/hydroxyapatite-filled acrylate-based restorative composite resins: An in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chadda, Harshita; Naveen, Sangeetha Vasudevaraj; Mohan, Saktiswaren; Satapathy, Bhabani K; Ray, Alok R; Kamarul, Tunku

2016-07-01

Although the physical and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite-filled dental restorative composite resins have been examined, the biocompatibility of these materials has not been studied in detail. The purpose of this in vitro study was to analyze the toxicity of acrylate-based restorative composite resins filled with hydroxyapatite and a silica/hydroxyapatite combination. Five different restorative materials based on bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA) and tri-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) were developed: unfilled (H0), hydroxyapatite-filled (H30, H50), and silica/hydroxyapatite-filled (SH30, SH50) composite resins. These were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity by using human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Surface morphology, elemental composition, and functional groups were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The spectra normalization, baseline corrections, and peak integration were carried out by OPUS v4.0 software. Both in vitro cytotoxicity results and SEM analysis indicated that the composite resins developed were nontoxic and supported cell adherence. Elemental analysis with EDX revealed the presence of carbon, oxygen, calcium, silicon, and gold, while the presence of methacrylate, hydroxyl, and methylene functional groups was confirmed through FTIR analysis. The characterization and compatibility studies showed that these hydroxyapatite-filled and silica/hydroxyapatite-filled bis-GMA/TEGDMA-based restorative composite resins are nontoxic to human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells and show a favorable biologic response, making them potential biomaterials. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highly Insulating and Light Transmitting Aerogel Glazing for Super Insulating Windows (HILIT+)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev; Kristiansen, Finn Harken; Schultz, Jørgen Munthe

2005-01-01

to 1000 m²/g), the material is proposed to serve as substrate for catalytic materials. • The special pore structure of aerogel could be used for gas filters in the 20 to 100 nm region. • The sound velocity within aerogel is in the range of 100 to 300 m/s, which should be one of the lowest for an inorganic......-free nano-structured aerogel materials through a reasonably fast and reproducible process. The applicative part of this project aimed at elaborating, studying and optimising “state-of-the-art” (0.5 W/m2 K) aerogel glazings for windows. An important issue was the risk of outside condensation and rime and its....... No other known glazing exhibits such an excellent combination of solar transmittance and heat loss coefficient. The annual energy savings compared to triple low energy glazing is in the range of 10 – 20% depending on type of building. Beside the application in glazing production the HILIT+ aerogel material...

Aerogel Cherenkov detector for characterizing the intense flash x-ray source, Cygnus, spectrum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Y., E-mail: yhkim@lanl.gov; Herrmann, H. W.; McEvoy, A. M.; Young, C. S.; Hamilton, C. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Schwellenbach, D. D.; Malone, R. M.; Kaufman, M. I.; Smith, A. S. [National Security Technologies, LLC, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544 (United States)

2016-11-15

An aerogel Cherenkov detector is proposed to measure the X-ray energy spectrum from the Cygnus—intense flash X-ray source operated at the Nevada National Security Site. An array of aerogels set at a variety of thresholds between 1 and 3 MeV will be adequate to map out the bremsstrahlung X-ray production of the Cygnus, where the maximum energy of the spectrum is normally around 2.5 MeV. In addition to the Cherenkov radiation from aerogels, one possible competing light-production mechanism is optical transition radiation (OTR), which may be significant in aerogels due to the large number of transitions from SiO{sub 2} clusters to vacuum voids. To examine whether OTR is a problem, four aerogel samples were tested using a mono-energetic electron beam (varied in the range of 1–3 MeV) at NSTec Los Alamos Operations. It was demonstrated that aerogels can be used as a Cherenkov medium, where the rate of the light production is about two orders magnitude higher when the electron beam energy is above threshold.

Oxidation-mediated chitosan as additives for creation of chitosan aerogels with diverse three-dimensional interconnected skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Sizhao; Feng, Jian; Feng, Junzong; Jiang, Yonggang

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new synthetic method for controlling morphology of chitosan aerogels is proposed. • Chitosan aerogels with nanoflake-like and nanofiber-like were prepared. • Textures of chitosan aerogels are strongly dependent upon the oxidation pattern. - Abstract: Naturally occurring polymer-based aerogels have myriad practical utilizations due to environmentally benign and fruitful resources. However, engineering morphology-controllable biomass aerogels still represents a great challenge. Here we present a facile solution to synthesize chitosan aerogels having distinguished textures by reacting oxidized chitosan with formaldehyde and chitosan sol. In more detail, chitosan was chemically oxidized using two types of oxidation agents such as ammonium persulphate (SPD) and sodium periodate (APS) to obtain corresponding oxidized chitosan, subsequently cross-linked with chitosan solution containing formaldehyde to harvest SPD-oxidized chitosan aerogels (SCAs) and APS-SPD-oxidized ones (ASCAs) after aging, solvent exchange and supercritical drying processes. We found that the morphologies of as-prepared chitosan aerogels are strongly dependent upon the oxidation pattern towards chitosan. The structural textures of SCAs and ASCAs appear nanoflake-like and nanofiber-like structures, which may be related to spatial freedom of active groups located in chitosan. Selected area electron diffraction analysis reveals that the crystalline properties of chitosan aerogels generally appear the serious deterioration comparing to raw chitosan owing to their interconnected skeletal structure formation. The occurrence of characteristic groups displays cross-linked chain construction by using chemical state measurements such as FT-IR and XPS. Further, a plausible mechanism for controlling morphology of chitosan aerogels is also established. This new family of method for creation of chitosan aerogels may open up a perspective for biomass aerogels with controllable textures.

Oxidation-mediated chitosan as additives for creation of chitosan aerogels with diverse three-dimensional interconnected skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Sizhao, E-mail: bule-soul@hotmail.com; Feng, Jian, E-mail: fengj@nudt.edu.cn; Feng, Junzong; Jiang, Yonggang

2017-02-28

Highlights: • A new synthetic method for controlling morphology of chitosan aerogels is proposed. • Chitosan aerogels with nanoflake-like and nanofiber-like were prepared. • Textures of chitosan aerogels are strongly dependent upon the oxidation pattern. - Abstract: Naturally occurring polymer-based aerogels have myriad practical utilizations due to environmentally benign and fruitful resources. However, engineering morphology-controllable biomass aerogels still represents a great challenge. Here we present a facile solution to synthesize chitosan aerogels having distinguished textures by reacting oxidized chitosan with formaldehyde and chitosan sol. In more detail, chitosan was chemically oxidized using two types of oxidation agents such as ammonium persulphate (SPD) and sodium periodate (APS) to obtain corresponding oxidized chitosan, subsequently cross-linked with chitosan solution containing formaldehyde to harvest SPD-oxidized chitosan aerogels (SCAs) and APS-SPD-oxidized ones (ASCAs) after aging, solvent exchange and supercritical drying processes. We found that the morphologies of as-prepared chitosan aerogels are strongly dependent upon the oxidation pattern towards chitosan. The structural textures of SCAs and ASCAs appear nanoflake-like and nanofiber-like structures, which may be related to spatial freedom of active groups located in chitosan. Selected area electron diffraction analysis reveals that the crystalline properties of chitosan aerogels generally appear the serious deterioration comparing to raw chitosan owing to their interconnected skeletal structure formation. The occurrence of characteristic groups displays cross-linked chain construction by using chemical state measurements such as FT-IR and XPS. Further, a plausible mechanism for controlling morphology of chitosan aerogels is also established. This new family of method for creation of chitosan aerogels may open up a perspective for biomass aerogels with controllable textures.

Potentiometric urea biosensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/silica composite material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahuja, Tarushee; Kumar, D.; Singh, Nahar; Biradar, A.M.; Rajesh

2011-01-01

A novel potentiometric urea biosensor has been fabricated with urease (Urs) immobilized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) embedded in silica matrix deposited on the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass plate. The enzyme Urs was covalently linked with the exposed free -COOH groups of functionalized MWCNTs (F-MWCNTs), which are subsequently incorporated within the silica matrix by sol-gel method. The Urs/MWCNTs/SiO 2 /ITO composite modified electrode was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and UV-visible spectroscopy. The morphologies and electrochemical performance of the modified Urs/MWCNTs/SiO 2 /ITO electrode have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and potentiometric method, respectively. The synergistic effect of silica matrix, F-MWCNTs and biocompatibility of Urs/MWCNTs/SiO 2 made the biosensor to have the excellent electro catalytic activity and high stability. The resulting biosensor exhibits a good response performance to urea detection with a wide linear range from 2.18 x 10 -5 to 1.07 x 10 -3 M urea. The biosensor shows a short response time of 10-25 s and a high sensitivity of 23 mV/decade/cm 2 .

Self-assembled hierarchical graphene/polyaniline hybrid aerogels for electrochemical capacitive energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Fan; Xu, Maowen; Bao, Shu-Juan; Wei, Hua; Chai, Hui

2014-01-01

In this work, polyaniline nanowires (PANI-NWs) act as spacers, incorporated with graphene oxide and self-assembled into graphene/PANI hybrid aerogels through a facile hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized samples have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle measurement, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for their microstructure, morphology and relative affinities toward water. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements have been used to study the effects of composition, microstructure and morphology of the samples on their capacitive performance. The experimental results indicate that the PANI can effectively tailor the microstructures and electrochemical performances of the products. The as-prepared materials with an appropriate proportion of PANI nanowires can efficiently prevent the adjacent graphene sheets from aggregation and provide fast ionic channels for electrochemical energy storage. A specific capacitance of 520.3 F g −1 has been achieved from graphene/PANI hybrid aerogel, which also exhibits excellent cycling stability

Sol-gel approach to the novel organic-inorganic hybrid composite films with ternary europium complex covalently bonded with silica matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Dewen; Yang Yongsheng; Jiang Bingzheng

2006-01-01

Novel organic-inorganic hybrid composite films with ternary lanthanide complex covalently bonded with silica matrix were prepared in situ via co-ordination of N-(3-propyltriethoxysilane)-4-carboxyphthalimide (TAT) and 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) with europium ion (Eu 3+ ) during a sol-gel approach and characterized by the means of spectrofluorimeter, phosphorimeter and infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). The resulting transparent films showed improved photophysical properties, i.e. increased luminescence intensity and longer luminescence lifetime, compared with the corresponding binary composite films without Phen. All the results revealed that the intense luminescence of the composite film was attributed to the efficient energy transfer from ligands, especially Phen, to chelated Eu 3+ and the reduced non-radiation through the rigid silica matrix and 'site isolation'

Joint Symposium on Compatibility of Plastics/Materials with Explosives Processing Explosives Held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on 15-17 May 1979.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-05-01

INTRODUCTION The prime weapon system on the A-10 aircraft is the GAU-8 gun system. This gun system has demonstrated...flowability additive developed by Dow Corning Corporation is obtained by converting a hydrophilic silica aerogel to a hydrophobic colloidal 0 silica by...commercially available as SilanoxTM* or TullanoxTM**. The silica aerogel is converted from the hydrophilic to the hydrophobic state by replacing the hydroxyl

Synthesis and characterization of 1-Methyl-3-Methoxysilyl Propyl Imidazolium Chloride - mesoporous silica composite as adsorbent for dehydration in industrial processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lievano, Javier F. Plata; Diaz, Luz A. Carreno, E-mail: lcarreno@uis.edu.co [Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia)

2016-07-15

Ionic liquid - mesoporous silica composite was synthesized as a new adsorbent for dehydration in industrial processes. An ionic liquid (IL) with proved dehydration properties has been covalently anchored to mesoporous silica. The parameters of the synthesis were studied to produce a solid and stable composite. The material was then characterized by SEM, BET, FTIR, NMR, Raman, XRD, XRF, MALDI and LDI confirming the presence of a covalent bond between the ionic liquid and the solid matrix. Evaluations have shown that the material kept the IL dehydration property. (author)

Synthesis and characterization of 1-Methyl-3-Methoxysilyl Propyl Imidazolium Chloride - mesoporous silica composite as adsorbent for dehydration in industrial processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lievano, Javier F. Plata; Diaz, Luz A. Carreno

2016-01-01

Ionic liquid - mesoporous silica composite was synthesized as a new adsorbent for dehydration in industrial processes. An ionic liquid (IL) with proved dehydration properties has been covalently anchored to mesoporous silica. The parameters of the synthesis were studied to produce a solid and stable composite. The material was then characterized by SEM, BET, FTIR, NMR, Raman, XRD, XRF, MALDI and LDI confirming the presence of a covalent bond between the ionic liquid and the solid matrix. Evaluations have shown that the material kept the IL dehydration property. (author)

Temperature effect on the physico-chemical properties of silica based bio-hybrid composite for uranium uptake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, Archana; Melo, Jose Savio

2013-01-01

In the present work, silica based bio-hybrid composite has been prepared using Streptococcus lactis cells and silica nanoparticles through one step single process of spray drying. Bio-hybrids have many desired characteristics, and are thus used in a wide range of applications for example environmental cleanup which is of increasing importance. Thermogravimetric and thermodynamic analysis have been employed to understand the binding of uranium to the synthesized bio-hybrid material. Analysis of the thermodynamic parameters (ΔG 0 , ΔS 0 and ΔH 0 ) provides information regarding the inherent energy and feasibility of the sorption process. (author)

Super insulating aerogel glazing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Jørgen Munthe; Jensen, Karsten Ingerslev; Kristiansen, Finn Harken

2005-01-01

of the glass and a heat-treatment of the aerogel increases the visible quality and the solar energy transmittance. A low-conductive rim seal solution with the required vacuum barrier properties has been developed along with a reliable assembly and evacuation process. The prototypes have a centre heat loss...

Synthesis of palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel for electrochemical detection of dopamine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Ruiyi; Yang, Tingting [School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China); Li, Zaijun, E-mail: zaijunli@jiangnan.edu.cn [School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China); Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Wuxi 214122 (China); Gu, Zhiguo; Wang, Guangli; Liu, Junkang [School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China)

2017-02-15

Integration of noble metal nanomaterials on graphene nanosheets potentially paves one way to improve their electronic, chemical and electrochemical properties. The study reported synthesis of palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel composite (Pd@Au/N,S-MGA). The as-prepared composite offers a well-defined three-dimensional architecture with rich of mesopores. The Pd@Au nanoalloys were dispersed on the graphene framework networks and their active sites were fully exposed. The unique structure achieves to ultra high electron/ion conductivity, electrocatalytic activity and structural stability. The sensor based on the Pd@Au/N,S-MGA creates ultrasensitive electrochemical response towards dopamine due to significantly electrochemical synergy between Pd, Au and N,S-MGA. Its differential pulse voltammetric signal linearly increases with the increase of dopamine concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10{sup −9} M to 4.0 × 10{sup −5} M with the detection limit of 3.6 × 10{sup −10} M (S/N = 3). The analytical method provides the advantage of sensitivity, reproducibility, rapidity and long-term stability. It has been successfully applied in the detection of trace dopamine in biological samples. The study also opens a window on the electronic properties of graphene aerogel and metal nanomaterials as well their nanohybrids to meet needs of further applications as nanoelectronics in diagnosis, bioanalysis and catalysis. - Graphical abstract: We reported a new palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel. The sensor based on the nanohybrid exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity, reproducibility and stability to electrochemical detection of dopamine. - Highlights: • We reported Pd@A/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel. • The nanohybrid offers unique three-dimensional architecture with rich of mesopores. • The architecture achieve to ultrahigh

Synthesis of palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel for electrochemical detection of dopamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Ruiyi; Yang, Tingting; Li, Zaijun; Gu, Zhiguo; Wang, Guangli; Liu, Junkang

2017-01-01

Integration of noble metal nanomaterials on graphene nanosheets potentially paves one way to improve their electronic, chemical and electrochemical properties. The study reported synthesis of palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel composite (Pd@Au/N,S-MGA). The as-prepared composite offers a well-defined three-dimensional architecture with rich of mesopores. The Pd@Au nanoalloys were dispersed on the graphene framework networks and their active sites were fully exposed. The unique structure achieves to ultra high electron/ion conductivity, electrocatalytic activity and structural stability. The sensor based on the Pd@Au/N,S-MGA creates ultrasensitive electrochemical response towards dopamine due to significantly electrochemical synergy between Pd, Au and N,S-MGA. Its differential pulse voltammetric signal linearly increases with the increase of dopamine concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10"−"9 M to 4.0 × 10"−"5 M with the detection limit of 3.6 × 10"−"1"0 M (S/N = 3). The analytical method provides the advantage of sensitivity, reproducibility, rapidity and long-term stability. It has been successfully applied in the detection of trace dopamine in biological samples. The study also opens a window on the electronic properties of graphene aerogel and metal nanomaterials as well their nanohybrids to meet needs of further applications as nanoelectronics in diagnosis, bioanalysis and catalysis. - Graphical abstract: We reported a new palladium@gold nanoalloys/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel. The sensor based on the nanohybrid exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity, reproducibility and stability to electrochemical detection of dopamine. - Highlights: • We reported Pd@A/nitrogen and sulphur-functionalized multiple graphene aerogel. • The nanohybrid offers unique three-dimensional architecture with rich of mesopores. • The architecture achieve to ultrahigh electron

Octahedral Tin Dioxide Nanocrystals Anchored on Vertically Aligned Carbon Aerogels as High Capacity Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mingkai; Liu, Yuqing; Zhang, Yuting; Li, Yiliao; Zhang, Peng; Yan, Yan; Liu, Tianxi

2016-01-01

A novel binder-free graphene - carbon nanotubes - SnO2 (GCNT-SnO2) aerogel with vertically aligned pores was prepared via a simple and efficient directional freezing method. SnO2 octahedrons exposed of {221} high energy facets were uniformly distributed and tightly anchored on multidimensional graphene/carbon nanotube (GCNT) composites. Vertically aligned pores can effectively prevent the emersion of “closed” pores which cannot load the active SnO2 nanoparticles, further ensure quick immersion of electrolyte throughout the aerogel, and can largely shorten the transport distance between lithium ions and active sites of SnO2. Especially, excellent electrical conductivity of GCNT-SnO2 aerogel was achieved as a result of good interconnected networks of graphene and CNTs. Furthermore, meso- and macroporous structures with large surface area created by the vertically aligned pores can provide great benefit to the favorable transport kinetics for both lithium ion and electrons and afford sufficient space for volume expansion of SnO2. Due to the well-designed architecture of GCNT-SnO2 aerogel, a high specific capacity of 1190 mAh/g with good long-term cycling stability up to 1000 times was achieved. This work provides a promising strategy for preparing free-standing and binder-free active electrode materials with high performance for lithium ion batteries and other energy storage devices. PMID:27510357

Silica coatings on clarithromycin.

Science.gov (United States)

Bele, Marjan; Dmitrasinovic, Dorde; Planinsek, Odon; Salobir, Mateja; Srcic, Stane; Gaberscek, Miran; Jamnik, Janko

2005-03-03

Pre-crystallized clarithromycin (6-O-methylerythromycin A) particles were coated with silica from the tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)-ethanol-aqueous ammonia system. The coatings had a typical thickness of 100-150 nm and presented about 15 wt.% of the silica-drug composite material. The properties of the coatings depended on reactant concentration, temperature and mixing rate and, in particular, on the presence of a cationic surfactant (cetylpyridinium chloride). In the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride the silica coatings slightly decreased the rate of pure clarithromycin dissolution.

Structural properties and adsorption capacity of holocellulose aerogels synthesized from an alkali hydroxide-urea solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Gu-Joong; Kim, Dae-Young; Hwang, Jae-Hyun; Kang, Joo-Hyon [Dongguk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

A tulip tree was used to synthesize a holocellulose aerogel from an aqueous alkali hydroxide-urea solution with the substitution of an organic solvent followed by freeze-drying. For comparison, the synthesized holocellulose aerogels were divided into two groups according to the source of the hydrogel, an upper suspended layer and a bottom concentrated layer of the centrifuged solution of cellulose and NaOH/urea solvents. We investigated the effects of the temperature of the pre-cooled NaOH/urea solution (i.e., dissolution temperature) on the pore structure and the adsorption capacity of the holocellulose aerogel. A nano-fibrillar network structure of the holocellulose aerogel was observed, with little morphological difference in pore structure for different dissolution temperatures. Both micropores and mesopores were observed in the holocellulose aerogel. The specific surface area of the holocellulose aerogel was generally greater at lower dissolution temperatures. In a series of adsorption tests using methylene blue, the holocellulose aerogel showed the greatest adsorption capacity at the lowest dissolution temperature tested ( -2 .deg. C). However, the dissolution temperature generally had little effect on the adsorption capacity. The holocellulose aerogel produced from the upper suspended layer of the centrifuged hydrogel solution showed a greater porosity and adsorption capacity than the one produced from the bottom concentrated layer. Overall, the aerogel made by utilizing a delignified tulip tree display a high surface area and a high adsorption property, indicating its possible application in eco-friendly adsorption materials.

Structural properties and adsorption capacity of holocellulose aerogels synthesized from an alkali hydroxide-urea solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Gu-Joong; Kim, Dae-Young; Hwang, Jae-Hyun; Kang, Joo-Hyon

2014-01-01

A tulip tree was used to synthesize a holocellulose aerogel from an aqueous alkali hydroxide-urea solution with the substitution of an organic solvent followed by freeze-drying. For comparison, the synthesized holocellulose aerogels were divided into two groups according to the source of the hydrogel, an upper suspended layer and a bottom concentrated layer of the centrifuged solution of cellulose and NaOH/urea solvents. We investigated the effects of the temperature of the pre-cooled NaOH/urea solution (i.e., dissolution temperature) on the pore structure and the adsorption capacity of the holocellulose aerogel. A nano-fibrillar network structure of the holocellulose aerogel was observed, with little morphological difference in pore structure for different dissolution temperatures. Both micropores and mesopores were observed in the holocellulose aerogel. The specific surface area of the holocellulose aerogel was generally greater at lower dissolution temperatures. In a series of adsorption tests using methylene blue, the holocellulose aerogel showed the greatest adsorption capacity at the lowest dissolution temperature tested ( -2 .deg. C). However, the dissolution temperature generally had little effect on the adsorption capacity. The holocellulose aerogel produced from the upper suspended layer of the centrifuged hydrogel solution showed a greater porosity and adsorption capacity than the one produced from the bottom concentrated layer. Overall, the aerogel made by utilizing a delignified tulip tree display a high surface area and a high adsorption property, indicating its possible application in eco-friendly adsorption materials.

Thin Aerogel as a Spacer in Multilayer Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Moroz, Nancy

2015-01-01

Cryogenic fluid management is a critical technical area that is needed for future space exploration. A key challenge is the storability of liquid hydrogen (LH2), liquid methane (LCH4), and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants for long-duration missions. The storage tanks must be well-insulated to prevent over-pressurization and venting, which can lead to unacceptable propellant losses for long-duration missions to Mars and beyond. Aspen Aerogels had validated the key process step to enable the fabrication of thin, low-density aerogel materials. The multilayer aerogel insulation (MLAI) system prototypes were prepared using sheets of aerogel materials with superior thermal performance exceeding current state-of-the-art insulation for space applications. The exceptional properties of this system include a new breakthrough in high-vacuum cryogenic thermal insulation, providing a durable material with excellent thermal performance at a reduced cost when compared to longstanding state-of-the-art multilayer insulation systems. During the Phase II project, further refinement and qualification/system-level testing of the MLAI system will be performed for use in cryogenic storage applications. Aspen has been in discussions with United Launch Alliance, LLC; NASA's Kennedy Space Center; and Yetispace, Inc., to test the MLAI system on rea-lworld tanks such as Vibro-Acoustic Test Article (VATA) or the Cryogenic Orbital Testbed (CRYOTE).

Reinforced plastics and aerogels by nanocrystalline cellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leung, Alfred C. W.; Lam, Edmond; Chong, Jonathan; Hrapovic, Sabahudin; Luong, John H. T., E-mail: john.luong@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca [National Research Council Canada (Canada)

2013-05-15

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), a rigid rod-like nanoscale material, can be produced from cellulosic biomass in powder, liquid, or gel forms by acid and chemical hydrolysis. Owing to its unique and exceptional physicochemical properties, the incorporation of a small amount of NCC into plastic enhances the mechanical strength of the latter by several orders of magnitudes. Carbohydrate-based NCC poses no serious environmental concerns, providing further impetus for the development and applications of this green and renewable biomaterial to fabricate lightweight and biodegradable composites and aerogels. Surface functionalization of NCC remains the main focus of NCC research to tailor its properties for dispersion in hydrophilic or hydrophobic media. It is of uttermost importance to develop tools and protocols for imaging of NCC in a complex matrix and quantify its reinforcement effect.

Monolithic three-dimensional electrochemical energy storage system on aerogel or nanotube scaffold

Science.gov (United States)

Farmer, Joseph C; Stadermann, Michael

2013-11-12

A monolithic three-dimensional electrochemical energy storage system is provided on an aerogel or nanotube scaffold. An anode, separator, cathode, and cathodic current collector are deposited on the aerogel or nanotube scaffold.

Preparation of chitin–silica composites by in vitro silicification of two-dimensional Ianthella basta demosponge chitinous scaffolds under modified Stöber conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wysokowski, Marcin [Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 2, PL-60965 Poznan (Poland); Behm, Thomas [Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Liepziger 23, 09599 Freiberg (Germany); Born, René [Institute of Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 10, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Bazhenov, Vasilii V. [Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Liepziger 23, 09599 Freiberg (Germany); Meißner, Heike; Richter, Gert [Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden (Germany); Szwarc-Rzepka, Karolina [Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 2, PL-60965 Poznan (Poland); Makarova, Anna; Vyalikh, Denis [Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 10, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Schupp, Peter [Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, Emsstr. 20, 26382 Wilhelmshaven (Germany); Jesionowski, Teofil, E-mail: teofil.jesionowski@put.poznan.pl [Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 2, PL-60965 Poznan (Poland); Ehrlich, Hermann, E-mail: hermann.ehrlich@physik.tu-freiberg.de [Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Liepziger 23, 09599 Freiberg (Germany)

2013-10-15

Chitin is a biopolymer found in cell walls of various fungi and skeletal structures of numerous invertebrates. The occurrence of chitin within calcium- and silica-containing biominerals has inspired development of chitin-based hybrids and composites in vitro with specific physico-chemical and material properties. We show here for the first time that the two-dimensional α-chitin scaffolds isolated from the skeletons of marine demosponge Ianthella basta can be effectively silicified by the two-step method with the use of Stöber silica micro- and nanodispersions under Extreme Biomimetic conditions. The chitin–silica composites obtained at 120 °C were characterized by the presence of spherical SiO{sub 2} particles homogeneously distributed over the chitin fibers, which probably follows from the compatibility of Si–OH groups to the hydroxyl groups of chitin. The biocomposites obtained were characterized by various analytical techniques such as energy dispersive spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy to determine possible interactions between silica and chitin molecule. The results presented proved that the character and course of the in vitro chitin silicification in Stöber dispersions depended considerably on the degree of hydrolysis of the SiO{sub 2} precursor. - Highlights: • 2D α-chitin scaffolds isolated from marine demosponge can be effectively silicified using Stöber silica. • The chitin–silica composites were obtained under Extreme Biomimetic conditions. • Character and course of the in vitro chitin silicification in Stöber dispersions is discussed.

Refractive index inhomogeneity within an aerogel block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Da Silva Costa, C.F.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Perego, D.L.

2006-01-01

Evaluating local inhomogeneities of the refractive index inside aerogel blocks to be used as Cherenkov radiator is important for a high energy physics experiment where angular resolution is crucial. Two approaches are described and compared. The first one is based on the bending of a laser beam induced by refractive index gradients along directions normal to the unperturbed optical path. The second method exploits the Cherenkov effect itself by shooting an ultra-relativistic collimated electron beam through different points of the aerogel surface. Local refractive index variations result in sizable differences in the Cherenkov photons distribution

Fabrication and Properties of Silica Gel/Calcium Sulfate/Strontium-doped β-tricalcium Phosphate Composite Porous Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

QIN Xiao-su

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The calcium sulfate/strontium-doped β-tricalcium phosphate composite spherical pellets was fabricated, using the calcium sulfate/strontium-doped β-TCP as raw material, and through the stirring spray drying method, and then composite spherical pellets were combined with silica gel, porous silica gel/calcium sulfate/strontium-doped β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold was obtained by stacking aggregation method in the mould. The XRD, SEM and FT-IR, etc are employed to examine the chemical composition, composite morphology and structure characteristics, and the degradability, porosity, mechanical properties and cytotoxicity of the scaffolds materials were studied. The results reveal that the composite porous scaffolds have irregular pore structure with pore size between 0.2-1.0mm, and they have a large number of micropores on each of the composite spherical pellets, with the aperture between 50-200μm. Moreover, the porosity of the composite scaffolds is about 62%, which can meet the requirements of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering in porosity; the cytotoxicity tests show the composite scaffolds have no cytotoxic effect and it has good degradation. Therefore, it has good application prospect in bone tissue engineering of the bone defect repair of non-bearing site.

Surface modification of silica particles and its effects on cure and mechanical properties of the natural rubber composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theppradit, Thawinan [Program in Petrochemistry and Polymer Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Prasassarakich, Pattarapan [Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Poompradub, Sirilux, E-mail: sirilux.p@chula.ac.th [Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2014-12-15

The efficiency of modified silica (SiO{sub 2}) particles in the reinforcement of natural rubber (NR) vulcanizates was evaluated. The SiO{sub 2} particles were synthesized via a sol–gel reaction using tetraethyl orthosilicate as the precursor, and then the formed SiO{sub 2} particles were modified with methyl, vinyl or aminopropyl groups using methyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane or aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis confirmed the successful modification of the surface of the silica particles. The water contact angle measurement revealed the greater hydrophobicity of the three modified silica preparations compared to the unmodified SiO{sub 2}. NR vulcanizates filled with modified SiO{sub 2} particles were prepared and the mechanical, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of composites were investigated. The morphology of composite materials was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The modified SiO{sub 2} particles were well dispersed in the NR matrix leading to the good compatibility between the rubber and filler, and so an improved cure, mechanical, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of the composite vulcanizate materials. - Highlights: • Modification of SiO{sub 2} particles by MTES, VTES and APTES. • Improvement of hydrophobicity of SiO{sub 2} particle and compatibility between SiO{sub 2} and rubbery matrix. • Improvement of cure, mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical properties of NR vulcanizates.

Nanocellulose Composite Materials Synthesizes with Ultrasonic Agitation

Science.gov (United States)

Kidd, Timothy; Folken, Andrew; Fritch, Byron; Bradley, Derek

We have extended current techniques in forming nanocellulose composite solids, suspensions and aerogels to enhance the breakdown of cellulose into its molecular components. Using only mechanical processing which includes ball milling, using a simple mortar and pestle, and ultrasonic agitation, we are able to create very low concentration uniform nanocellulose suspensions in water, as well as incorporate other materials such as graphite, carbon nanotubes, and magnetic materials. Of interest is that no chemical processing is necessary, nor is the use of nanoparticles, necessary for composite formation. Using both graphite and carbon nanotubes, we are able to achieve conducting nanocellulose solids and aerogels. Standard magnetic powder can also be incorporated to create magnetic solids. The technique also allows for the creation of an extremely fine nanocellulose suspension in water. Using extremely low concentrations, less than 1% cellulose by mass, along with careful control over processing parameters, we are able to achieve highly dilute, yet homogenous nanocellulose suspensions. When air dried, these suspensions have similar hardness and strength properties to those created with more typical starting cellulose concentrations (2-10%). However, when freeze-dried, these dilute suspensions form aerogels with a new morphology with much higher surface area than those with higher starting concentrations. We are currently examining the effect of this higher surface area on the properties of nanocellulose aerogel composites and how it influences the impact of incorporating nanocellulose into other polymer materials.

A synthesis method for cobalt doped carbon aerogels with high surface area and their hydrogen storage properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, H.Y.; Buckley, C.E. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth 6845, WA (Australia); CSIRO National Hydrogen Materials Alliance, CSIRO Energy Centre, 10 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Steel River Estate, Mayfield West, NSW 2304 (Australia); Sheppard, D.A.; Paskevicius, M. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth 6845, WA (Australia); Hanna, N. [CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Waterford, WA (Australia)

2010-12-15

Carbon aerogels doped with nanoscaled Co particles were prepared by first coating activated carbon aerogels using a wet-thin layer coating process. The resulting metal-doped carbon aerogels had a higher surface area ({proportional_to}1667 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}) and larger micropore volume ({proportional_to}0.6 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}) than metal-doped carbon aerogels synthesised using other methods suggesting their usefulness in catalytic applications. The hydrogen adsorption behaviour of cobalt doped carbon aerogel was evaluated, displaying a high {proportional_to}4.38 wt.% H{sub 2} uptake under 4.6 MPa at -196 C. The hydrogen uptake capacity with respect to unit surface area was greater than for pure carbon aerogel and resulted in {proportional_to}1.3 H{sub 2} (wt. %) per 500 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}. However, the total hydrogen uptake was slightly reduced as compared to pure carbon aerogel due to a small reduction in surface area associated with cobalt doping. The improved adsorption per unit surface area suggests that there is a stronger interaction between the hydrogen molecules and the cobalt doped carbon aerogel than for pure carbon aerogel. (author)

Electronic structure of titania aerogels: Soft x-ray absorption study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucheyev, S.O.; Van Buuren, T.V.; Baumann, T.F.; Satcher, J.H.; Willey, T.M.; Muelenberg, R.W.; Felter, T.E.; Poco, J.E.; Gammon, S.A.; Terminello, L.J.

2004-01-01

Full text: Titania aerogels - a somewhat extreme form of nanoporous TiO 2 - are open-cell solid foams derived from highly crosslinked gels by drying them under supercritical conditions. In this presentation, the unoccupied electronic states of TiO 2 aerogels are studied by soft x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. High-resolution O K-edge and Ti L 2,3 -edge XANES spectra of aerogels are compared with those of rutile, anatase, and unrelaxed amorphous phases of full- density TiO 2 . Results show that all the main spectroscopic features of aerogels, reflecting the element-specific partial density of empty electronic states and correlation effects, can be attributed to the absence of long-range order in stoichiometric amorphous TiO 2 . Based on these results, we discuss the effects of short- and long-range order on the electronic structure of TiO 2 . This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-Eng-48

Examination of the concrete from an old Portuguese dam: Texture and composition of alkali-silica gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, Isabel; Noronha, Fernando; Teles, Madalena

2007-01-01

Exudations and pop-outs were identified in the interior galleries of a large dam built in the 1960s. The samples collected were examined by a Scanning Electron Microscope. A dense material with a smooth surface and drying shrinkage cracks or a spongy texture were observed in the samples. The semi-quantitative composition was obtained by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and it was concluded that this material corresponds to alkali-silica gel, composed of SiO 2 -Na 2 O-K 2 O-CaO. A viscous white product in contact with an aggregate particle in a cone sampled from a pop-out was observed through use of the scanning electron microscope and it has characteristics similar to the gel present in the exudations and cavities. Reference is made to the potential alkali reactivity of the aggregate present in the concrete. The texture and composition of the products probably resulting from an alkali-silica reaction are presented, set out in ternary diagrams, and discussed

Silver nanoprisms self-assembly on differently functionalized silica surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilipavicius, J; Chodosovskaja, A; Beganskiene, A; Kareiva, A

2015-01-01

In this work colloidal silica/silver nanoprisms (NPRs) composite coatings were made. Firstly colloidal silica sols were synthesized by sol-gel method and produced coatings on glass by dip-coating technique. Next coatings were silanized by (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), N-[3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (AEAPTMS), (3- Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Silver NPRs where synthesized via seed-mediated method and high yield of 94±15 nm average edge length silver NPRs were obtained with surface plasmon resonance peak at 921 nm. Silica-Silver NPRs composite coatings obtained by selfassembly on silica coated-functionalized surface. In order to find the most appropriate silanization way for Silver NPRs self-assembly, the composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), water contact angle (CA) and surface free energy (SFE) methods. Results have showed that surface functionalization is necessary to achieve self-assembled Ag NPRs layer. MPTMS silanized coatings resulted sparse distribution of Ag NPRs. Most homogeneous, even distribution composite coatings obtained on APTES functionalized silica coatings, while AEAPTMS induced strong aggregation of Silver NPRs

Ultralight and fire-resistant ceramic nanofibrous aerogels with temperature-invariant superelasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Si, Yang; Wang, Xueqin; Dou, Lvye; Yu, Jianyong; Ding, Bin

2018-04-01

Ultralight aerogels that are both highly resilient and compressible have been fabricated from various materials including polymer, carbon, and metal. However, it has remained a great challenge to realize high elasticity in aerogels solely based on ceramic components. We report a scalable strategy to create superelastic lamellar-structured ceramic nanofibrous aerogels (CNFAs) by combining SiO 2 nanofibers with aluminoborosilicate matrices. This approach causes the random-deposited SiO 2 nanofibers to assemble into elastic ceramic aerogels with tunable densities and desired shapes on a large scale. The resulting CNFAs exhibit the integrated properties of flyweight densities of >0.15 mg cm -3 , rapid recovery from 80% strain, zero Poisson's ratio, and temperature-invariant superelasticity to 1100°C. The integral ceramic nature also provided the CNFAs with robust fire resistance and thermal insulation performance. The successful synthesis of these fascinating materials may provide new insights into the development of ceramics in a lightweight, resilient, and structurally adaptive form.

Three-dimensional multichannel aerogel of carbon quantum dots for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Lingxiao; Fan, Yueqiong; Chen, Qing; Zhao, Yang; Hu, Yue; Zhang, Zhipan; Chen, Nan; Qu, Liangti

2014-06-01

A three-dimensional (3D) carbon quantum dot (CQD) aerogel has been prepared by in situ assembling CQDs in the sol-gel polymerization of resorcinol (R) and formaldehyde (F) and subsequently pyrolyzing the formed CQD gel. Compared to the supercapacitor based on the CQD-free aerogel, the supercapacitor fabricated with the CQD aerogel showed 20-fold higher specific capacitance (294.7 F g-1 at the current density of 0.5 A g-1) and an excellent stability over 1000 consecutive charge-discharge cycles.

Freeze-Casting Produces a Graphene Oxide Aerogel with a Radial and Centrosymmetric Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunhui; Chen, Xiong; Wang, Bin; Huang, Ming; Wang, Bo; Jiang, Yi; Ruoff, Rodney S

2018-05-14

We report the assembly of graphene oxide (G-O) building blocks into a vertical and radially aligned structure by a bidirectional freeze-casting approach. The crystallization of water to ice assembles the G-O sheets into a structure, a G-O aerogel whose local structure mimics turbine blades. The centimeter-scale radiating structure in this aerogel has many channels whose width increases with distance from the center. This was achieved by controlling the formation of the ice crystals in the aqueous G-O dispersion that grew radially in the shape of lamellae during freezing. Because the shape and size of ice crystals is influenced by the G-O sheets, different additives (ethanol, cellulose nanofibers, and chitosan) that can form hydrogen bonds with H 2 O were tested and found to affect the interaction between the G-O and formation of ice crystals, producing ice crystals with different shapes. A G-O/chitosan aerogel with a spiral pattern was also obtained. After chemical reduction of G-O, our aerogel exhibited elasticity and absorption capacity superior to that of graphene aerogels with "traditional" pore structures made by conventional freeze-casting. This methodology can be expanded to many other configurations and should widen the use of G-O (and reduced G-O and "graphenic") aerogels.