Aerogels—Preparation and Properties

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 1795

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: aerogels; optical materials; sol-gel; luminescence; solid state
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Guest Editor
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure Materials and Technology, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: aerogels; optical coatings; sol-gel; raman spectroscopy; solid state

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A new challenge in materials science is aerogels—a class of porous solids with extremely valuable material properties and different chemistry, including organic materials, carbon, ceramic oxides and even metals.

The valuable properties of aerogels based on their unique structure, such as low density, thermal insulation properties and transparency, make them attractive in many research areas. Aerogels are included as part of NASA's projects for the development of materials applicable in space, in aircrafts, insulation equipment, astronaut suits, blankets, etc.

A promising direction is the search for new modified aerogel materials that combine the advantages of the matrix and the properties of the new component embedded into their structure: for example, reinforced silica aerogels with a polymer component incorporated into the matrix. Another new research direction for hybrid composite-based aerogels is the incorporation of optical active components into aerogel granules and powders. In this way, aerogel composite materials, which combine the properties both of the aerogel matrix and the embedded complex, are developed.

The present Special Issue, “Aerogels—Preparation and Properties”, focuses on several topics, including but not limited to the following:

  1. The preparation–structure–property relationships of aerogels;
  2. Aerogel composites;
  3. Specific applications of aerogels and their composites, etc.

Original articles, reviews, short communications and perspectives are all suitable types of papers for submission.

Prof. Dr. Stoyan Gutzov
Dr. Xiaodong Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aerogels
  • aerogel composites
  • aerogel hybrids
  • nano-aerogels
  • supercritical drying
  • subcritical drying
  • optical properties
  • electrical properties
  • magnetic properties
  • mechanical properties

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 8775 KiB  
Article
Facile Synthesis of Surface-Modified Hollow-Silica (SiO2) Aerogel Particles via Oil–Water–Oil Double Emulsion Method
by Pratik S. Kapadnis, Ki-Sun Nam, Hyun-Young Kim, Hyung-Ho Park and Haejin Hwang
Gels 2024, 10(6), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10060380 - 2 Jun 2024
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Abstract
Due to their high surface area and low weight, silica aerogels are ideally suited for several uses, including drug delivery, catalysis, and insulation. Oil–water–oil (OWO) double emulsion is a simple and regulated technique for encasing a volatile oil phase in a [...] Read more.
Due to their high surface area and low weight, silica aerogels are ideally suited for several uses, including drug delivery, catalysis, and insulation. Oil–water–oil (OWO) double emulsion is a simple and regulated technique for encasing a volatile oil phase in a silica shell to produce hollow silica (SiO2) aerogel particles by using hydrophilic and hydrophobic emulsifiers. In this study, the oil–water–oil (OWO) double emulsion method was implemented to synthesize surface-modified hollow silica (SiO2) aerogel particles in a facile and effective way. This investigation mainly focused on the influence of the N-hexane-to-water glass (OW) ratio (r) in the first emulsion, silica (water glass) content concentration (x), and surfactant concentration (s) variations. Furthermore, surface modification techniques were utilized to customize the aerogel’s characteristics. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed no imprints of impurities except SiO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images highlight the hollow microstructure of silica particles. Zeta potential was used to determine particle size analysis of hollow silica aerogel particles. The oil–water–oil (OWO) double emulsion approach was successfully employed to synthesize surface-modified hollow silica (SiO2) aerogel particles, providing precise control over the particle characteristics. By the influence of the optimization condition, this approach improves the aerogel’s potential applications in drug delivery, catalysis, and insulation by enabling surface modifications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerogels—Preparation and Properties)
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14 pages, 4795 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Water Resistance in Foam Cement through MTES-Based Aerogel Impregnation
by Zhi Li, Shengjie Yao, Guichao Wang, Xi Deng, Fang Zhou, Xiaoxu Wu and Qiong Liu
Gels 2024, 10(2), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10020118 - 1 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1182
Abstract
The propensity of foamed concrete to absorb water results in a consequential degradation of its performance attributes. Addressing this issue, the integration of aerogels presents a viable solution; however, their direct incorporation has been observed to compromise mechanical properties, attributable to the effects [...] Read more.
The propensity of foamed concrete to absorb water results in a consequential degradation of its performance attributes. Addressing this issue, the integration of aerogels presents a viable solution; however, their direct incorporation has been observed to compromise mechanical properties, attributable to the effects of the interface transition zone. This study explores the incorporation of MTES-based aerogels into foamed cement via an impregnation technique, examining variations in water–cement ratios. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, evaluating the influences of MTES-based aerogels on the thermal conductivity, compressive strength, density, chemical composition, and microstructure of the resultant composites across different water–cement ratios. Our findings elucidate that an increment in the water–cement ratio engenders a gradual regularization of the pore structure in foamed concrete, culminating in augmented porosity and diminished density. Notably, aerogel-enhanced foamed concrete (AEFC) exhibited a significant reduction in water absorption, quantified at 86% lower than its conventional foamed concrete (FC) counterpart. Furthermore, the softening coefficient of AEFC was observed to surpass 0.75, with peak values reaching approximately 0.9. These results substantiate that the impregnation of MTES-based aerogels into cementitious materials not only circumvents the decline in strength but also bolsters their hydrophobicity and water resistance, indirectly enhancing the serviceability and longevity of foamed concrete. In light of these findings, the impregnation method manifests promising potential for broadening the applications of aerogels in cement-based materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aerogels—Preparation and Properties)
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