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A New Synthetic Route to Organic Aerogels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

R.W. Pekala
Affiliation:
Department Of Chemistry & Materials Science, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550
C.T. Alviso
Affiliation:
Department Of Chemistry & Materials Science, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550
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Abstract

The aqueous, sol-gel polymerization of melamine with formaldehyde, followed by supercritical extraction, leads to the formation of a new type of organic aerogel. Synthetic conditions (e.g. reaction time, pH) affect the density, transparency, and microstructure of the resultant aerogels. Unlike previous organic aerogels based upon resorcinol-formaldehyde, the melamine-formaldehyde aerogels are both colorless and transparent. Low densities (0.1–0.8 g/cc), high surface areas (∼1000 m2/g), and optical clarity are only a few of the promising characteristics of this new material.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1990

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References

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