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Facile fabrication of machinable low-density moisture-resistant silica aerogels

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Abstract

Low-density moisture-resistant silica aerogels with enhanced mechanical strength were obtained by combining with the aging of the teteraehoxysilane (TEOS)-based alcogels in the TEOS/ethanol solution and the modification in the hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)/ethanol solution. This route introduced less organic impurities into as-prepared aerogels and their mechanical strength was also enhanced. The linear volume shrinkage of the modified wet gels reached as low as 3.6% during supercritical drying. Thus, the aerogels had appropriate mechanical strength to be adapted the requirements of applications with various shapes. Moreover, the densities of silica aerogels maintained stable after modification by high concentration HMDS, suggesting excellent moisture resistance.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51502274) and the Doctoral Research Fund of Southwest University of Science and Technology (No. 15zx7137, 16zx7142). We also thank Xudong Cui for the English writing checking to the work.

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  1. Functional Structure Material Laboratory, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, People’s Republic of China

    Jiayi Zhu, Hongbo Ren & Yutie Bi

  2. Joint Laboratory for Extreme Conditions Matter Properties, Southwest University of Science and Technology and Research Center of Laser Fusion, Mianyang, 621010, People’s Republic of China

    Jiayi Zhu, Hongbo Ren & Yutie Bi

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Zhu, J., Ren, H. & Bi, Y. Facile fabrication of machinable low-density moisture-resistant silica aerogels. J Porous Mater 26, 399–407 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-018-0617-0

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