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A Robust Approach to Inorganic Aerogels: The Use of Epoxides in Sol–Gel Synthesis

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Book cover Aerogels Handbook

Part of the book series: Advances in Sol-Gel Derived Materials and Technologies ((Adv.Sol-Gel Deriv. Materials Technol.))

Abstract

Over the last decade, the diversity of metal oxide materials prepared using sol–gel techniques has increased significantly. This transformation can be attributed, in part, to the development of the technique known as epoxide-initiated gelation. The process utilizes organic epoxides as initiators for the sol–gel polymerization of simple inorganic metal salts in aqueous or alcoholic media. In this approach, the epoxide acts as an acid scavenger in the sol–gel reaction, driving the hydrolysis and condensation of hydrated metal species. This process is general and applicable to the synthesis of a wide range of metal oxide aerogels, xerogels, and nanocomposites. In addition, modification of synthetic parameters allows for control over the structure and properties of the sol–gel product. This method is particularly amenable to the synthesis of multi-component or composite sol–gel systems with intimately mixed nanostructures. This chapter describes both the reaction mechanisms associated with epoxide-initiated gelation as well as the variety of materials that have been prepared using this technique.

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Acknowledgements

Work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory-LLNL, Livermore, CA, 94551, USA

    Theodore F. Baumann, Alexander E. Gash & Joe H. Satcher Jr.

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  1. Theodore F. Baumann
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  2. Alexander E. Gash
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  3. Joe H. Satcher Jr.
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Correspondence to Alexander E. Gash .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Résidence Vert-Pré, Ch. des Placettes 6, Bottens, CH-1041, Switzerland

    Michel A. Aegerter

  2. Technology, Department of Chemistry, Missouri University of Science &, Rolla, 65409, Missouri, USA

    Nicholas Leventis

  3. , Building Technologies Laboratory, Empa, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, CH-8600, Switzerland

    Matthias M. Koebel

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Baumann, T.F., Gash, A.E., Satcher, J.H. (2011). A Robust Approach to Inorganic Aerogels: The Use of Epoxides in Sol–Gel Synthesis. In: Aegerter, M., Leventis, N., Koebel, M. (eds) Aerogels Handbook. Advances in Sol-Gel Derived Materials and Technologies. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7589-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7589-8_8

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