Aerogels derived from multifunctional organic monomers

摘要

Traditional inorganic aerogels are mad via the hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxides. Recently, we reported the synthesis of organic aerogels based upon the aqueous polycondensation of (1) resorcinol with formaldehyde and (2) melamine with formaldehyde. The former materials can also be pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere to form vitreous carbon aerogels. In both the inorganic and organic systems, the structure and properties of the dried aerogel are dictated by polymerization conditions. Factors such as pH, reactant ratio, and temperature influence the crosslinking chemistry and growth processes taking place prior to gelation. The ability to tailor the structure and properties of aerogels at the nanometer scale opens up exciting possibilities for these novel materials. This paper addresses the chemistry-structure-property relationships of organic aerogels. 22 refs., 7 figs.