Transparent, hydrophobic composite aerogels with high mechanical strength and low high-temperature thermal conductivities.
A facile one-step polymer-incorporation sol-gel process, together with a surface modification and an ambient pressure drying processes, was developed to prepare silica-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) composite aerogels. These composite aerogels are with high hydrophobicity (static contact angle >120 degrees), good mechanical strength (Young's modulus of bending >30 MPa), and low high-temperature thermal conductivity (0.063 W/m-K at 300 degrees C), which are critical characteristics for practical applications of aerogels, particularly in energy saving areas, for long-term usage and large scale production.
Wei
Te-Yu
TY
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, HsinChu, Taiwan 30013, Republic of China.
Lu
Shih-Yuan
SY
Chang
Yu-Cheng
YC
D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011205:Povidone / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013814:Thermal Conductivity
D005782:Gels; D011108:Polymers; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone