title: An easy way to prepare monolithic inorganic oxide aerogels.
abstract: Inorganic oxide aerogels have unique thermal, optical, electrical, magnetic, and chemical properties, which result in them potentially having a broad range of applications. However, their preparation is commonly based on a supercritical drying method, which greatly limits real applications of aerogels and their commercialization. Here we demonstrate a general method for drying wet gels to form aerogels that is based on the sublimation of organic solvent. The organic solvent must have a low surface tension, undergo sublimation easily, and have a high freezing point to allow the rapid synthesis of monolithic inorganic oxide aerogels under vacuum conditions. This cost-effective process will facilitate application of aerogel materials. This approach may also be used for the preparation of other porous materials, whose theoretical and practical applications should be investigated.
authors: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189 (China). liliren@seu.edu.cn.
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Ren
authors: Sumin
authors: S
authors: Cui
authors: Fengchao
authors: F
authors: Cao
authors: Qinghui
authors: Q
authors: Guo
keywords: aerogels; drying; gels; inorganic oxides; solvent effects