Magazine Article

Use of Nanofibers to Strengthen Hydrogels of Silica, Other Oxides, and Aerogels

TBMG-7178

02/01/2010

Abstract
Content

Research has shown that including up to 5 percent w/w carbon nanofibers in a silica backbone of polymer crosslinked aerogels improves its strength, tripling compressive modulus and increasing tensile stress-at-break fivefold with no increase in density or decrease in porosity. In addition, the initial silica hydrogels, which are produced as a first step in manufacturing the aerogels, can be quite fragile and difficult to handle before cross-linking. The addition of the carbon nanofiber also improves the strength of the initial hydrogels before cross-linking, improving the manufacturing process. This can also be extended to other oxide aerogels, such as alumina or aluminosilicates, and other nanofiber types, such as silicon carbide.

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Citation
"Use of Nanofibers to Strengthen Hydrogels of Silica, Other Oxides, and Aerogels," Mobility Engineering, February 1, 2010.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Feb 1, 2010
Product Code
TBMG-7178
Content Type
Magazine Article
Language
English