Room Temperature Densification of Aerogel by Isostatic Compression

An alternative to the sintering process in densifying aerogels is the compaction by isostatic compression at room temperature. A porosimeter is used to compress the aerogel and to measure the amplitude of the shrinkage. We focus our study on the time dependent mechanisms such as densification kinetics and relaxation effects. These two mechanisms respectively increase or decrease the total densification.The densification kinetics is followed by the evolution of the volumetric shrinkage and stiffening with time. Hydroxylated and esterified aerogels show almost the same shrinkage evolution but the hydroxylated aerogels stiffen during compaction while the elastic bulk modulus of esterified aerogels decreases. Shrinkage is due to two opposing mechanisms: formation of new siloxane bonds that freeze the strained network, but also breakage of links between clusters which allows the restructuring of the solid phase.Relaxation is caused by the disentanglement of the clusters when the pressure is released (40% of the shrinkage can be recovered). However, if during the compression run a large quantity of siloxane bonds are formed, relaxation is not observed.     

Large Scale Porous Structure in Gels and Relationship with Their Plastic Behavior

Silica gels (classical aerogels and composite aerogels) have been prepared by classical gelation and addition of silica soot in the gelifying solution before gelation. Due to the aggregation mechanisms, these structures are characterized by a fractal organization. The fractal network previously described in the literature (1–100 nm) which results from the aggregation mechanism of the organosiloxane is affected by the addition of the silica soots. Ultra Small Angle X-ray Scattering (USAXS) experiments (done at ESRF) shows that besides the fractal network built by the organosiloxane, the silica soots are forming another porous structure at a higher scale.The mechanical properties seem to be dependent on this large pore structure. Under isostatic pressure, aerogels display an irreversible shrinkage caused by plastic deformation. As a consequence of this plastic shrinkage it is possible to densify, by the pore collapse tending towards the silica glass. The densification mechanism is different from the one obtained by a sintering at high temperature. The pore collapse mechanism is favored by the large pores structure of the composite aerogels, in contrast to viscous sintering.     

Mechanical Properties of Gel-Derived Materials

The mechanical behaviour of xerogels and aerogels is generally described in terms of brittle and elastic materials, like glasses or ceramics. The main difference compared to silica glass is the order of magnitude of the elastic and rupture moduli which are 10⁴ times lower. However, if this analogy is pertinent when gels are under a tension stress (bending test) they exhibit a more complicated response when the structure is submitted to a compressive stress. The network is linearly elastic under small strains, then exhibits yield followed by densification and plastic hardening. As a consequence of the plastic shrinkage it is possible to densify and stiffen the gel at room temperature. These opposite behaviours (elastic and plastic) are surprisingly related to the same two kinds of gel features: the silanol content and the pore volume. Both elastic modulus and plastic shrinkage depend strongly on the volume fraction of pores and on the condensation reaction between silanols. On the mechanical point of view (rupture modulus and toughness), it is shown that pores and silanols play also an important role. Pores can be considered as flaws in the terms of fracture mechanics and the flaw size, calculated from rupture strength and toughness is related to the pore size distribution. Different kinds of gels structure (fractal or not fractal) have been synthesized by a control of the different steps of transformation such as sintering and plastic compaction. The relationships between structural and the elastic properties are discussed in terms of the percolation theory and fractal structure.     

Sintering Aerogels

Studies of the densification kinetics and structural evolution of non-crystalline aerogels during sintering are examined in light of theory. In most respects, the theory of viscous sintering is capable of quantitatively accounting for the experimentally observed behavior, as long as the initial pore size distribution is known. Unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain adequate structural information; in particular, measurements using nitrogen desorption and thermoporometry often erroneously indicate the presence of macroporosity. Some authors have claimed that large pores contract more quickly than small pores during sintering; under certain circumstances this is predicted by the theory.     

Elasticity of syndiotactic polypropylene: Insights from temperature and time dependence

The origin of the unusual and puzzling elasticity of drawn sPP samples was investigated. The mechanism responsible of the elasticity was studied for drawn samples characterized by a very simple structural organization, where there are no involvements of crystallographic modifications with different chain conformation. The elastic behavior of the drawn samples, valued through the hysteresis cycles, was determined at different temperatures. At room temperature the samples show remarkable elastic properties, whereas decreasing the temperature the elastic behavior becomes worse and worse, disappearing at temperatures lower than 0 °C. The elasticity also disappears in drawn samples after a long aging under tension. Thermomechanical and structural investigations, as well as shrinkage as a function of temperature and aging at room temperature of the fixed drawn samples, support the idea that the elastic behavior of sPP can be explained by the model of the plastic deformation of semicrystalline polymers. The interpretation is based on the presence of “tie” molecules axially connecting the crystals in the oriented samples, whose extension, chain conformation and/or crystallization determine the retractive stress of the oriented sample, as well as other mechanical properties. We show that many experiments on the drawn samples, either fixed or relaxed, are strictly connected to the morphology of the drawn sample, derived by the transition between the lamellar initial and the fibrillar final structure. By applying the model we can answer the questions derived from the experimental facts not yet well clarified, giving a new insight into the interesting elasticity of sPP.     

The sintering of silica aerogels studied by thermoporometry

The evolution of the texture of silica aerogels during sintering is studied by thermoporometry for both neutral and base catalysed materials.During the densification the macroporous volume drops and the analysis of the mesopore size distribution evolution shows that the collapse of the smallest mesopores is responsible for the macropore volume transformation. However, corrections of the measured volumes are necessary to characterize the most compliant materials.     

TiO2超细粉热稳定性的研究

本实验以ＴｉＣｌ４为原料，采用超临界流体干燥法地出ＴｉＯ气凝胶超细粉，在６２３－９２３Ｋ温度范围内考察了其织构和结构的热稳定性。实验发现，随着焙烧温度的提高，样吕的比表面和孔体积减小表面堆积密度增大，同时伴随颗粒烧结长大并连成链状。对ＴｉＯ２气胶超细粉的烧结机理研究表明，其烧结为表面扩散控制过程，烧结活化能为２２２．６ｋＪ／ｍｏｌ。     

PZT Aerogels: Sol-Gel Derived Piezoelectric 3-3 Composites

Ultrasonic transducers with low acoustic impedances are required for applications in gaseous media. In porous piezoelectrics the pore volume acts as a second medium of a solid-gas composite and thus lowers the overall acoustic impedance. Lead zirconate titanate (PbZr_.53Ti_.47O₃, PZT) aerogels were prepared by sol-gel processing and supercritical drying in isopropanol. Prefiring at 400°C in air and subsequent thermal treatment in saturated PbO-atmosphere results in phase transformation to PZT (perovskite phase), grain growth and aerogel densification. In this paper the densification of this new class of piezoelectric material at temperatures above 600°C is described. Porosities were measured as a function of sintering time and temperature. Changes in the microstructure were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Dielectric measurements are presented.     

Investigation of the Sintering Mechanisms for (U,Am)O2 Pellets Obtained by CRMP Process

The use of CRMP (Calcined Resin Microsphere Pelletization) process for AmBB (Americium Bearing Blankets) fabrication is today a key research axis in americium transmutation domain, where its very high activity requires minimization of powder dissemination. In this aim, the use of oxide microspheres as compaction precursors is a promising clean alternative to powder metallurgy. Understanding the different steps of densification during CRMP pellet sintering thus appears as fundamental to obtain final materials with the specific features required for AmBB. The densification curve recorded in dynamic conditions shows different sintering steps. A first decrease of shrinkage rate happens at low temperature, around 1100 K. This phenomenon is not normally observed in the sintering of conventional powders. Chemical and microstructural studies were performed on (U,Am)O₂ and also on (Ce,Gd)O₂ surrogate compound to highlight the causes of this low-temperature sintering step. Multiscale reorganization finally appears as the sole explanation, through the sintering of nanometric aggregate present in the green pellet and related to the morphology of the starting microspheres employed as pelletization precursors.     

A Petrochemical-Free Route to Superelastic Hierarchical Cellulose Aerogel

Cellulose aerogels are plagued by intermolecular hydrogen bond-induced structural plasticity, otherwise rely on chemicals modification to extend service life. Here, we demonstrate a petrochemical-free strategy to fabricate superelastic cellulose aerogels by designing hierarchical structures at multi scales. Oriented channels consolidate the whole architecture. Porous walls of dehydrated cellulose derived from thermal etching not only exhibit decreased rigidity and stickiness, but also guide the microscopic deformation and mitigate localized large strain, preventing structural collapse. The aerogels show exceptional stability, including temperature-invariant elasticity, fatigue resistance (∼5 % plastic deformation after 10⁵ cycles), high angular recovery speed (1475.4° s⁻¹), outperforming most cellulose-based aerogels. This benign strategy retains the biosafety of biomass and provides an alternative filter material for health-related applications, such as face masks and air purification.     

Synthesis and properties of mullite and cordierite aerogels

This work deals with the preparation of aluminosilicate aerogels, especially mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂) and cordierite (2MgO·2Al₂O₃·5SiO₂) aerogels, from the cohydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane and chelated aluminum-secbutylate; in the case of cordierite magnesium nitrate was added. The influence of various preparation conditions on the aerogel synthesis is described. Crystallization and sintering behavior of mullite aerogels supercritically dried in acetone or alcohol differs from that one of mullite aerogels dried in CO₂. During non-isothermal heat treatment the former show a drastically reduced shrinkage compared to the latter. This behavior can be explained by a phase separation during the high temperature autoclaving process. In cordierite aerogels the crystallization of tetragonal mullite at about 1000°C is observed, while the correspondent xerogels show the crystallization of - and - cordierite between 1000 and 1100°C. On the other hand sintering is promoted in cordierite aerogels, which is due to the content of MgO.     

Effect of sintering temperature on mechanical and microstructural properties of bovine hydroxyapatite (BHA)

The influence of sintering temperature on densification, microstructure and the mechanical properties of bovine hydroxyapatite (BHA), produced by a calcination method, was investigated. Densification and mechanical properties improved with increasing sintering temperature in the range between 1000°C and 1300°C, with optimum properties being obtained at a sintering temperature of 1200°C. The measured mechanical properties indicate that sintered BHA bodies are interesting biomaterials for further investigation in biomedical applications.     

Sintering of Sol-Gel Films

The sintering of films differs from that of bulk gels in several ways. The initial state of a film is generally denser and less crosslinked than a bulk gel made from the same sol, and these factors enhance the densification rate of the film. The substrate constrains the shrinkage of the film, leading to high stresses that retard densification and can influence phase changes. The substrate is a site for heterogeneous nucleation, and crystallization makes densification more difficult, so the competition between sintering and crystallization is particularly important for films. Fast heating favors densification over crystallization, so rapid thermal annealing usually produces denser films. The high surface to volume ratio of a thin film makes it susceptible to degradation by reaction with the substrate and the atmosphere, so choosing compatible materials and avoiding over-firing is essential.     

无烟煤流化床气化飞灰的结渣特性

通过烧结特性实验研究了无烟煤流化床气化飞灰在"近灰熔点"处的烧结特性,并利用X射线衍射分析(XRD)进行了结晶矿物质和玻璃相的定量分析以研究其烧结机制。结果表明,飞灰中矿物质间的相互转化控制着其结渣特性。由于铁、钙和镁等碱性组分的部分富集,飞灰的灰熔点与原煤相比要低;在低于灰熔点DT 100~200℃附近,由于长石类矿物质的转变熔融形成了具有黏结性的液相,灰样发生液相烧结导致收缩变形而结块;大部分的钙和铁等助熔组分赋存于玻璃相中提高了其浓度,且在热处理过程中它们并未发生析晶行为,从而促进灰样的烧结致密化过程,进一步使得飞灰的结渣倾向增强。     

环氧液晶弹性体材料的制备与力学性能研究

传统的液晶弹性体材料多采用丙烯酸酯类或聚硅氧烷类分子,通过自由基聚合制备.然而由于自由基聚合易被氧气阻聚,固化过程收缩率高且内应力大,传统液晶弹性体材料的力学性能并不是很优异.为解决这一问题,本文合成了带有环氧基团的液晶单体和交联剂,使用碘盐作为引发剂,通过光引发阳离子反应,用原位聚合交联法制备了环氧液晶弹性体材料....     

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.     

Characterization of Tin Oxide Based Sol-Gel Coatings on Borosilicate Glasses by X-Ray Reflectivity

The X-ray reflectivity technique was applied in the study of tin oxide films deposited by sol-gel dip-coating on borosilicate glasses. The influence of the withdrawal speed and temperature of thermal treatment on the film structure was analyzed. We have compared the thermal evolution of the density and the shrinkage of the films with these properties measured for the monolithic xerogel by helium picnometry and thermomechanical analysis. In agreement with the Landau-Levich model, the layer thickness increases by increasing the withdrawal speed. Nevertheless, it decreases with the increase of the thermal treatment temperature, due to the densification process. The values of apparent density are smaller than the skeletal density, which shows that the films are porous. The comparison between the film and the monolith indicates that shrinkage during firing is anisotropic, occurring essentially perpendicular to the coating surface.     

勃姆石纤维增强二氧化硅气凝胶的制备及性能

以六水合氯化铝为铝源, 通过水热法制备勃姆石纤维; 以甲基三甲氧基硅烷和正硅酸乙酯为硅源共前驱体, 采用溶胶-凝胶法进而常压干燥制备了勃姆石纤维掺杂的二氧化硅复合气凝胶; 探究了勃姆石纤维的掺杂量对复合气凝胶性能的影响. 当勃姆石纤维的掺杂量(质量分数)为1%时, 气凝胶的机械性能最好, 能够承受17.1%的压缩应变, 最大压缩强度为1.12 MPa, 压缩模量高达2.57 MPa, 复合气凝胶在150 ℃仍然具有较低的导热系数(0.0670 W·m^?1·K^?1). 勃姆石纤维能够一定程度地抑制二氧化硅颗粒在高温下的烧结和相转变, 对二氧化硅气凝胶的耐高温性能有显著的提升作用, 复合气凝胶在1100 ℃高温热处理后, 仍能保持良好的隔热性能和较高的机械强度.     

A study of the elastoplastic properties of polymer-silicate nanocomposites with allowance for the change in their volumes during deformation

The results of experimental and theoretical studies of the elastoplastic properties of medium-density polyethylene and nanocomposites formed on its basis with a filler of layered clay minerals are described. It is found that the deformation of these materials is accompanied by a significant change in their volumes, which is primarily caused by the development of internal damage of the system (the formation of pores and cracks at the microlevel). A component that takes into account the change in volume during deformation is introduced into the previously proposed model of a heterogeneous medium that can undergo significant non-linear elastic and plastic deformations. For this purpose, we use a differential approach to the construction of constitutive equations and an additive decomposition of the total strain-rate tensor of the medium into strainrate tensors of the elastic and plastic components. Using an improved model, we describe the experimental curves of uniaxial stretching for pure PE and two PE-based polymer-silicate nanocomposites. The introduction of filler particles into the polymer matrix leads to enhancement of the role of two structural mechanisms in the formation of plastic properties: The presence of the filler contributes to the development of internal structural damage; the same particles decrease the orientation ability of the PE matrix, thereby hindering the development of plastic deformations in it. The use of tensor variables in the model makes it appropriate for describing not only stretching but also other types of loading of the material.