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Aerogels from Preceramic Polymers

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Handbook of Sol-Gel Science and Technology

Abstract

This chapter deals with a new class of ceramic aerogels derived from polymers. Polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) represent a new class of ceramic materials obtained through the pyrolysis of preceramic polymers. The PDC route allows forming nanophases of the SiC, SiOC, and SiCN systems with tailored functional properties.

In its essential features, the process leading to the PDC aerogel described in this chapter consists in cross-linking a preceramic polymer in a highly diluted solution, in removing the solvent using supercritical conditions to get the preceramic aerogel, and finally in converting the polymeric aerogel into the ceramic one through a pyrolysis process in controlled atmosphere. The most important synthesis parameters, which control the final aerogel microstructure, will be discussed. Several examples of aerogels belonging to the SiC, SiOC, and SiCN systems will be presented along with potential applications in the field of materials for energy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Dr. P. R. Aravind that drew our attention in the field of aerogel during his stay in our lab as a postdoc, Dr. Yigal Blum (SRI, Menlo Park, CA, USA) for the fruitful discussions in particular for the hydrosilylation reaction, Dr. Sara Carturan (INFN, Legnaro, Padova, Italy) for the BET measurements, and many undergraduate and graduate students: Federico Dalcanale, Amelie Gaston, Andrea Perolo, Dawit Ayana, Michele Perenzin, Aylin Karakuscu, Van Lam Nguyen, V. S. Pradeep, Dawit Gebregiorges, and Susana Aguirre-Medel.

“Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Trento e Rovereto” is gratefully acknowledged for the partial financial support of this research under the contract: polymer-derived ceramics with hierarchical porosity for water filtration/purification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123, Trento, Italy

    Gian Domenico Sorarù, Emanuele Zera & Renzo Campostrini

Authors
  1. Gian Domenico Sorarù
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  2. Emanuele Zera
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  3. Renzo Campostrini
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Correspondence to Gian Domenico Sorarù .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Lisa Klein

  2. Madrid, Spain

    Mario Aparicio

  3. City University of New York, New York, USA

    Andrei Jitianu

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Sorarù, G.D., Zera, E., Campostrini, R. (2016). Aerogels from Preceramic Polymers. In: Klein, L., Aparicio, M., Jitianu, A. (eds) Handbook of Sol-Gel Science and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19454-7_121-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19454-7_121-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19454-7

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