Authors: M Du N Mao SJ Russell
Publish Date: 2015/10/28
Volume: 51, Issue: 2, Pages: 719-731
Abstract
Controllable nanoporous structure in MTMSbased silicone aerogels is required to improve their thermal conductivity Silicone aerogels were formed in a twostep acid–base catalysed sol–gel process combined with supercritical drying The influence of MTMS concentration specifically the molar ratio of methanolMTMS and waterMTMS in the sol–gel process was studied in relation to the porous structure of resultant silicone aerogels Samples were characterised to determine the dimensions of micro meso and macropore structure by means of both nitrogen gas adsorption–desorption for detection of pores 300 nm and by analysis of FEGSEM images for pores 300 nm Porosity pore volume distribution and Brunau er–Emmitt–Teller surface area in the silicone aerogels were all found to be influenced by adjustment of the molar ratio of methanolMTMS and the molar ratio of waterMTMS during sol–gel processing
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