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Anisotropic Clay Aerogel Composite Materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Matthew D Gawryla
Affiliation:
[email protected], Case Western Reserve University, Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
David A. Schiraldi
Affiliation:
[email protected], Case Western Reserve University, Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
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Abstract

Clay aerogel composites have been around for over 50 years but still they represent a relatively under studied class of materials. Clay aerogel composites have been made in our labs that have low densities, 0.05-0.1g/cm3, provide good thermal insulation, k 0.02W/mK, and are created through an environmentally benign process. The mechanical properties of the composites resemble those of typical foamed polymers such as expanded polystyrene and polyurethane, with compressive moduli ranging from 0.5MPa to 40MPa depending on composition. Aqueous solutions of clay and polymer are frozen in cylindrical molds and freezedried to create these foam-like materials. Typically there is no particular orientation to the often layered structure that results, however if frozen in a unidirectional manner, anisotropic materials can be made. In this paper we will discuss the effects of molecular weight on mechanical properties of various composites as well as discussing the orientated layered structure within the anisotropic materials.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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