Transport of liquids using superhydrophobic aerogels

The experimental results of the studies on the transportation of water droplets on a superhydrophobic silica aerogel-powder-coated surface are reported. The superhydrophobic silica aerogels were prepared using sol-gel processing of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursor, methanol (MeOH) solvent, and base (NH4OH)-catalyzed water followed by supercritical drying using methanol solvent. The molar ratio of NH4OH/MTMS, H2O/MTMS, and MeOH/MTMS were varied from 1.7x10(-1) to 3.5x10(-1), 2 to 8, and 1.7 to 14, respectively, to find out the best-quality aerogels in terms of higher hydrophobicity and high droplet velocity. A specially built device was used for the measurement of velocity of water droplet of size 2.8 mm (+/-0.2 mm) on an inclined surface coated with superhydrophobic aerogel powder. Liquid marbles were prepared by rolling water droplets on aerogel powder and the marble(s) velocities on a noncoated inclined surface were compared with that of the water droplets. It was observed that the microstructure of the aerogel affects the droplet as well as marble velocities considerably. For an aerogel with uniform and smaller particles, the water droplet and marble velocities were observed to be maximum, i.e., 144 and 123 cm/s, respectively, whereas for the aerogels with bigger and nonuniform particles, the water droplet and marble velocities were observed to be minimum, i.e., 92 and 82 cm/s, respectively. The results have been discussed by taking into account the contact angles and microstructural observations.     

Absorption and desorption of organic liquids in elastic superhydrophobic silica aerogels

The experimental results of the studies on the absorption and desorption of organic liquids in elastic superhydrophobic silica aerogels, are reported. The elastic superhydrophobic aerogels were prepared using methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursor by a two-step sol-gel process followed by supercritical drying. Monolithic superhydrophobic silica aerogels were used as the absorbents. In all, four alkanes, three aromatic compounds, four alcohols and three oils were used. The absorption property of the aerogel was quantified by the mass and moles of the organic liquid absorbed by unit mass of the aerogel. The superhydrophobic aerogels showed a very high uptake capacity and high rate of uptake. The desorption of solvents and oils was studied by maintaining the as-absorbed aerogel samples at various temperatures and weighing them at regular time intervals until all the absorbed liquid got totally desorbed. This was verified by measuring the weights of the aerogel samples before and after desorption. The transmission electron micrograph observations showed that the aerogel structure was not much affected by the solvent absorption, while the oil absorption led to the shrinkage resulting in a dense structure after the desorption. In all the cases, the aerogels retained hydrophobicity and could be re-used as absorbents.     

Hydrophobicity and drag reduction properties of surfaces coated with silica aerogels and xerogels

Superhydrophobic surfaces have application in self-cleaning, anti-fouling and drag reduction. Most superhydrophobic surfaces are constructed using complex fabrication methods. An alternative method is to use sol–gel methods to make hydrophobic aerogel and xerogel surfaces. In this work, hydrophobic silica aerogels and xerogels were made from the silica precursors tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) in volume ratios MTMS/TMOS of 0–75 % using a base-catalyzed recipe. Overall hydrophobicity was assessed using contact angle measurements on surfaces prepared from crushed aerogel and xerogel powders. The surfaces made from aerogels were super-hydrophobic (with contact angles of 167°–170°) for all levels of MTMS (10–75 %). Of the xerogel-coated surfaces, those made with 50 % MTMS were hydrophobic and with 75 % MTMS were superhydrophobic. Chemical hydrophobicity was assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which showed evidence of Si–CH₃ and Si–C bonds in the aerogels and xerogels made with MTMS. Morphological hydrophobicity was assessed using SEM imaging and gas adsorption. The drag characteristics of the aerogel- and xerogel-coated surfaces were measured using a rotational viscometer. Under laminar flow conditions all of the hydrophobic aerogel-coated surfaces (10–75 % MTMS) were capable of capturing an air bubble, thereby reducing the drag on a horizontal rotating surface by 20–30 %. Of the xerogel-coated surfaces, only the one made from 75 % MTMS could capture a bubble, which led to 27 % drag reduction. These results imply that morphological differences between silica aerogels and xerogels, rather than any differences in their chemical hydrophobicity, give rise to the observed differences in hydrophobicity and drag reduction for the sol–gel-coated surfaces.     

空间高速粒子捕获用密度梯度气凝胶的热学与力学特性

采用正硅酸四乙酯(TEOS)的乙醇-水溶液为前驱体,氢氟酸为催化剂,结合溶胶-凝胶过程与CO2超临界流体干燥工艺,一步反应获得了密度为40-175mg·cm-3的单元气凝胶.以上述工艺为基础,通过逐层凝胶法、溶胶共凝法和梯度溶胶共凝胶法分别制备了三种密度梯度气凝胶样品,并研究了其功能梯度特性.结果表明:不同密度的气凝胶均具有粒径约为40-90nm球形颗粒构成的三维骨架结构,密度越低,骨架越疏松,峰值孔径越大,孔径分布也更为分散;三种方法制备的样品均具有明显的密度梯度,梯度特性由不连续到连续.动态热机械性能测试表明,随着密度的降低,气凝胶在低温(-100℃)和常温(25℃)下杨氏模量均有减小的趋势,其范围分别约为4.6×105-1.9×105Pa和5.0×105-2.1×105Pa.热学测试表明,随着密度的降低,气凝胶的热扩散系数增高,单位体积热容降低,而热导率则不成单调变化.     

化学改性氧化石墨烯交联的聚酰亚胺气凝胶

聚酰亚胺(PI)气凝胶是一类密度低、机械性能好、隔热性能优异的多孔材料, 通常使用昂贵的化学交联剂进行交联. 氧化石墨烯(GO)是近年来广受关注的用于聚合物增强的纳米功能填料. 以前报道的PI/GO 复合材料多是纤维或膜的形式. 为了获得PI/GO 复合气凝胶, 本文采用化学改性氧化石墨烯(m-GO)替代1,3,5-三(4-氨基苯氧基)苯(TAB)等常规的交联剂, 使之与4,4'-二氨基二苯基醚(ODA)和3,3',4,4'-联苯四羧酸二酐(BPDA)反应, 制得了m-GO交联的PI 气凝胶. GO的化学改性通过其与过量ODA在水热条件下反应实现. 通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究了PI/m-GO气凝胶的微观结构. 分别通过氮气吸脱附测试、热重分析和热线法研究了m-GO对气凝胶的孔特性、热稳定性和热导率的影响. 测试结果表明, 所获得的PI/m-GO气凝胶保持了高的孔隙率、热稳定性和绝热性. 压缩测试结果显示, 与采用1.8% (质量分数, w)的TAB进行交联的PI 气凝胶相比,仅用0.6% (w)的m-GO交联所获得的气凝胶具有更高的比杨氏模量(杨氏模量/密度)、比屈服强度(屈服强度/密度)和更小的体积收缩率.     

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.     

X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Sol-Gel Derived ORMOSILs Based on Combinations of Tetramethoxysilane and Trimethoxysilane

ORMOSILs have been prepared in the series TMOSx·MTMS(100 – x) (where TMOS is tetramethoxysilane; MTMS is methyltrimethoxysilane; x is mol% silane with respect to total silane for 0 x 100) by means of acid catalyzed, sol-gel processing. After drying at 60°C, small bulk samples were obtained of excellent optical clarity. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, in the range of 5 to 60°2, were compared with that of fused silica. All the prepared samples were amorphous. Fused silica exhibits one broad peak, d2 centered at d-spacing 4.12 Å. For the TMOS100 silica xerogel, the analogous broad peak had shifted slightly, to be centered at 3.88 Å; and remained in about the same position as x was decreased for the series TMOSx·MTMS(100 – x). In addition, a second, broad peak, d1, was observed for the ORMOSIL series centered at the d-spacing 8.7 Å for MTMS100 (i.e., x = 0) and increasing smoothly as x was increased, reaching 11.3 Å for x = 70, and >11.3 Å for x > 70. The intensity of d1 was found to have trebled, relative to the intensity of d2, on increasing the organic character of the matrix from TMOS70·MTMS30 to MTMS100.The d2 peak appearing at about 4 Å for both fused silica and the ORMOSILs is assumed to be associated with the spacing between silicon atoms connected by means of an oxygen bridge. The Si–O–Si angle for silica xerogels is known to depend upon the nature of the sol-gel processing and is bigger than that of fused silica.The d1 peak may be associated with the spacing between silicons attached to methyl groups and indicative of channels of methyl groups in the structure. Alternatively, the d1 peak may have its origin in a preferred, discrete structural unit in the matrix for instance cubane based on a octameric silicon arrangement.     

Adsorption of toxic organic compounds from water with hydrophobic silica aerogels

Silica monolith aerogels with different degrees of hydrophobicity were prepared by incorporating methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) or trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) in standard sol-gel synthesis followed by supercritical drying of gels with carbon dioxide (CO(2)) at 40 degrees C and 100 bar. The hydrophobicity of the aerogels was tested by measuring the contact angle (theta). The aerogels were also characterised by FTIR, DSC, and porosity measurements. Adsorption capacity measurements show that such modified hydrophobic silica aerogels are excellent adsorbents for different toxic organic compounds from water. In comparison to granulated active carbon (GAC) they exhibit capacities which are from 15 to 400 times higher for all tested compounds. Adsorption properties of hydrophobic silica aerogel remain stable even after 20 adsorption/desorption cycles.     

Effect of post-treatment (gel aging) on the properties of methyltrimethoxysilane based silica aerogels prepared by two-step sol–gel process

The properties of silica aerogels are highly dependent on the post-treatment steps like gel washing, gel aging and gel drying. The experimental results of the studies on one of the post-treatment steps i.e. gel aging effect on the physical and microstructural properties of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) based silica aerogels, are reported. These hybrid aerogels were prepared by two step sol–gel process followed by supercritical drying. The molar ratio of MeOH/MTMS (M) was varied from 7 to 35 by keeping the H₂O/MTMS (W) molar ratio constant at 4. The as prepared alcogels of different molar ratios were aged from 0 to 5 days. It was observed that 2 days of gel aging period is the optimum gel aging period for good quality aerogels in terms of low density, less volume shrinkage and high porosity. The well tailored network matrix with low density (0.04 g/cm³), less volume shrinkage (4.5%), low thermal conductivity (0.05 W/mK) and high porosity (98.84 %) was obtained for 2 days of gel aging period of M = 35. Further, the gelation time varied from 8 to 1 h depending on the M values. The gelation time was being more for lesser M values. The aerogels were characterized by bulk density, porosity, volume shrinkage, thermal conductivity, Scanning Electron Microscopy and the Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy.     

Hydrophobic silica aerogels prepared via rapid supercritical extraction

Hydrophobic silica aerogels have been prepared using the rapid supercritical extraction (RSCE) technique. The RSCE technique is a one-step methanol supercritical extraction method for producing aerogel monoliths in 3 to 8 h. Standard aerogels were prepared from a tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) recipe with a molar ratio of TMOS:MeOH:H₂O:NH₄OH of 1.0:12.0:4.0:7.4 × 10⁻³. Hydrophobic aerogels were prepared using the same recipe except the TMOS was replaced with a mixture of TMOS and one of the following organosilane co-precursors: methytrimethoxysilane (MTMS), ethyltrimethoxysilane (ETMS), or propyltrimeth-oxysilane (PTMS). Results show that, by increasing the amount of catalyst and increasing gelation time, monolithic aerogels can be prepared out of volume mixtures including up to 75% MTMS, 50% ETMS or 50% PTMS in 7.5–15 h. As the amount of co-precursor is increased the aerogels become more hydrophobic (sessile tests with water droplets yield contact angles up to 155°) and less transparent (transmission through a 12.2-mm thick sample decreases from 83 to 50% at 800 nm). The skeletal and bulk density decrease and the surface area increases (550–760 m²/g) when TMOS is substituted with increasing amounts of MTMS. The amount of co-precursor does not affect the thermal conductivity. SEM imaging shows significant differences in the nanostructure for the most hydrophobic surfaces.     

氧化石墨烯功能化三聚氰胺-甲醛气凝胶涂层固相微萃取管的制备及其应用北大核心CSCD

因具有良好的萃取性能,有机气凝胶已被应用于样品前处理领域,为了进一步改善其对多环芳烃类污染物的萃取能力,利用氧化石墨烯对三聚氰胺-甲醛气凝胶进行改性,制备了一种氧化石墨烯功能化三聚氰胺-甲醛气凝胶,将其作为萃取涂层涂覆到不锈钢丝表面,通过扫描电镜和X射线光电子能谱对萃取涂层进行表征,结果表明氧化石墨烯并未破坏气凝胶的三维网络多孔结构。将4根气凝胶涂覆的不锈钢丝装进一根长度30 cm、内径0.75 mm的聚醚醚酮管内,制备了一种新型的纤维填充型固相微萃取管。将萃取管与高效液相色谱联用,构建管内固相微萃取-液相色谱在线富集分析系统。以8种多环芳烃(萘(Nap)、苊烯(Acy)、苊(Ace)、芴(Flu)、菲(Phe)、蒽(Ant)、荧蒽(Fla)和芘(Pyr))作为模型分析物,评价了萃取管的萃取性能,考察了氧化石墨烯对气凝胶萃取性能的改善,结果表明萃取效率被提升至最高2.5倍。详细考察了样品体积、样品流速、样品中有机溶剂浓度以及脱附时间对于萃取效率的影响,并建立了管内固相微萃取-液相色谱在线分析方法。该法对8种多环芳烃分析物的检出限为0.001~0.005μg/L,萘、苊烯、苊、芴的线性范围为0.017~20.0μg/L,菲、蒽的线性范围为0.010~20.0μg/L,荧蒽和芘的线性范围为0.003~15.0μg/L,精密度良好(日内重复性RSD≤4.8%,日间重复性RSD≤8.6%)。研究所发展的分析方法比已报道的某些分析方法具有更好的灵敏度、更宽的线性范围和更短的分析时间,并具有在线富集和在线分析的独特优点。将该分析方法应用于常见饮用水(包括瓶装矿泉水和饮水机的直饮水)中多环芳烃的分析检测,加标回收率试验结果(76.3%~132.8%)表明该分析方法能够高灵敏、快速、准确地检测饮用水中痕量多环芳烃污染物。经过稳定性考察,发现研究所制备的固相微萃取管在实验过程中表现出良好的使用寿命和化学稳定性。     

超临界干燥法制备Fe2O3-SiO2气凝胶

以正硅酸乙酯（TEOS）和硝酸铁为原料,采用溶胶-凝胶法和超临界干燥工艺制备了Fe2O3-SiO2气凝胶,研究了Fe2O3-SiO2醇凝胶的形成条件的影响,并对所得气凝胶样品结构特性进行了初步表征．所得气凝胶样品是由直径约8nm的胶体粒子构成的低密度、高孔隙率的块状非晶固态材料．     

Control of mesoporous structure of aerogels derived from cresol-formaldehyde

Polycondensation of a cresol mixture (C(m)) with formaldehyde (F) in basic aqueous solutions leads to formation of highly cross-linked C(m)F aquagels that can be supercritically dried with carbon dioxide to form organic C(m)F aerogels. Aerogels synthesized with different catalyst contents and reactant concentrations are characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The present experimental results suggest that the C(m)F aerogels are typical mesoporous materials and have almost no micropores in bulk. The microstructure of the organic C(m)F aerogels can be controlled and tailored effectively by varying synthesis conditions during the initial sol-gel process. C(m)F organic aerogels with specific surface area as high as 627 m(2)/g and corresponding pore volume 2.06 ml/g have been obtained with a dominant pore size of 30 nm. C(m)F organic aerogels with peaky pore size distributions concentrated at 11 nm have also been prepared.     

Thermal and Temporal Aging of Silica Gels in Monomer Solutions

In previous work we have introduced the idea of preparing ambient pressure dried silica aerogels by increasing the wet gels' stiffness by aging in a TEOS solution until shrinkage during drying is almost eliminated. The present work elucidates the possibilities for obtaining ambient pressure dried aerogels employing this idea, however, cheap water soluble sodium silicate (water glass) precursors have been used to increase the economic feasibility of the process.We have shown how the G modulus of water glass based gels can be increased by aging in TEOS solution and gels with a density down to 0.2 g/cm3 can be obtained. These wet gels show a higher reactivity towards TEOS compared to TEOS based gels. We have also introduced the idea of aging wet gels in a solution where the monomers are provided from water glass instead of TEOS and some initial results on G modulus and density are included.     

柔性交联型聚酰亚胺气凝胶的制备及性能

利用溶胶-凝胶反应制备了聚酰亚胺凝胶, 经过超临界干燥得到了聚酰亚胺气凝胶. 研究了固含量和交联剂比例对气凝胶性能的影响规律. 结果表明, 聚酰亚胺气凝胶的密度和线收缩率都随着固含量和交联剂比例的增加而增加; 随着固含量的增加, 气凝胶的室温热导率呈现出先降低再增加的趋势(0.026~0.033 W·m^-1·K^-1), 气凝胶的力学刚度和强度明显提升; 交联剂的加入, 可以提高材料的韧性, 断裂应变最高达21.7%; 制得的柔性聚酰亚胺气凝胶具有良好的热稳定性, 是满足尖端武器以及空间飞行器对于轻质、 柔性热防护要求的理想材料之一.     

Liquid-phase synthesis and application of monolithic porous materials based on organic–inorganic hybrid methylsiloxanes, crosslinked polymers and carbons

Our recent progress in porous materials based on organic–inorganic hybrids, organic crosslinked polymers, and carbons is summarized. Flexible aerogels and aerogel-like xerogels with the polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) composition are obtained using methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) as the sole precursor. Preparation process and the flexible mechanical properties of these aerogels/xerogels are overviewed. As the derivative materials, hierarchically macro- and mesoporous PMSQ monoliths and marshmallow-like soft and bendable porous monoliths prepared from dimethyldimethoxysilane /MTMS co-precursors have been obtained. Organic crosslinked polymer monoliths with well-defined macropores are also tailored using gelling systems of vinyl monomers under controlled/living radical polymerization. The obtained polymer monoliths are carbonized and activated into activated carbon monoliths with well-defined pore properties. The activated carbon monoliths exhibit good electrochemical properties as the monolithic electrode. Some possibilities of applications for these porous materials are also discussed.     

High Temperature Behavior of a Gel-Derived SiOC Glass: Elasticity and Viscosity

The high temperature behavior of a sol-gel derived silicon oxycarbide glass containing 12 at.% carbon has been characterized by means of creep and in-situ ultrasonic echography measurements. Temperature induced changes include structural relaxation and densification from 1000 to 1200°C, and crystallization to form a fine and homogeneous -SiC/glass-matrix nanocomposite with 2.5 nm large crystals above 1200°C. Young's modulus measurements clearly reveal a consolidation of the material upon annealing below 1200°C. Crystallization is almost complete after few hours at 1300°C and results in a significant increase in Young's modulus. The viscosity of the oxycarbide glass is much higher than that of fused silica, with two orders of magnitude difference at 1200°C, and the glass transition temperature ranges from 1320 to 1370°C.     

块状TiO2气凝胶的制备及其表征

随着以溶胶-凝胶法和超临界干燥技术为基础的气凝胶制备方法的逐步完善,已不断制备出多种气凝胶[1～3].由于TiO2具有半导体特性,它常被作为光催化剂而受到重视,但是TiO2气凝胶的结构强度远比SiO2气凝胶小,在制备过程中极易碎裂粉化,所以至今未见制备块状TiO2气凝胶的报道.Dagan等[4]曾用异钛酸丁酯为母体制得TiO2气凝胶,并发现水杨酸在TiO2气凝胶存在下的光解速率是一般TiO2粉末的10倍,但获得的仅为TiO2气凝胶粉末.张敬畅等[5]以无机盐为原料,采用溶胶-凝胶法结合超临界干燥技术制备了纳米级TiO2气凝胶,也未能得到块状TiO2气凝胶材料. 本文报道以正钛酸丁酯为原料制备块状TiO2气凝胶的方法,并用TEM,SEM,XRD和IR等手段对所获得的气凝胶进行了结构表征.     

Transition from transparent aerogels to hierarchically porous monoliths in polymethylsilsesquioxane sol-gel system

A transition from hierarchical pore structures (macro- and meso-pores) to uniform mesopores in monolithic polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ, CH(3)SiO(1.5)) gels has been investigated using a sol-gel system containing surfactant Pluronic F127. The precursor methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) undergoes an acid/base two-step reaction, in which hydrolysis and polycondensation proceed in acidic and basic aqueous media, respectively, as a one-pot reaction. Porous morphology is controlled by changing the concentration of F127. Sufficient concentrations of F127 inhibit the occurrence of micrometer-scale phase separation (spinodal decomposition) of hydrophobic PMSQ condensates and lead to well-defined mesoporous transparent aerogels with high specific pore volume as a result of the colloidal network formation in a large amount of solvent. Phase separation regulates well-defined macropores in the micrometer range on decreasing concentrations of F127. In the PMSQ-rich gelling domain formed by phase separation, the PMSQ colloidal network formation forms mesopores, leading to monolithic PMSQ gels with hierarchical macro- and meso-pore structures. Mesopores in these gels do not collapse on evaporative drying owing to the flexible networks and repulsive interactions of methyl groups in PMSQ.     

非超临界干燥法制备SiO2气凝胶

应用廉价的国产硅溶胶为原料，通过凝胶过程和干燥过程条件的选择，以非超临界干燥技术最终获得了块状SiO2气凝胶.该气凝胶外观状态与应用正硅酸乙酯为原料制得的完全一致，其微观结构也相当良好，其直径和孔分布均匀.溶液的配比和pH对凝胶过程和气凝胶样品的密度有比较明显的影响，同时pH值与SiO2的粒径之间也有一定的关系.依据制备条件的变化，所得SiO2气凝胶的密度约在200～400 kg•m－3，比表面在250～300 m2•g－1之间变化，平均孔径约为11～20 nm，而孔隙率在91％左右.