Because of their surface area and porosity, nanoporous
materials are one of the most actively sought after materials in the modern
technologies. They are finding use in a wide range of applications including
microelectronics, medicine, energy storage, water purification, and
environmental emissions. There are many differing methods of creating nanoporous
materials. Current methods involve time-consuming post-gelation liquid exchange
steps, while the invented process provides a faster and more cost effective way
to create porous nanocomposites and porous metal oxides.
Researchers at Arizona State University have created a new
facile preparation method for nanoporous materials. Selecting inorganic and
carbon precursors that initiate gelation first, then utilizing the catalytic
surface properties of inorganic wet gels to incite the polymerization of various
monomers within the wet gel structure avoids time consuming post-gelation liquid
exchange steps and is applicable even for fast gel formers. Final products
include porous polymer/gel composites, conductive carbon monoliths, porous metal
oxides and other porous nanocomposites.
Potential Applications
- Energy-Fuel Cells, Solar Cells, Electrodes, Batteries,
Supercapacitors
- Environmental and Biomedical-Drug Delivery, Bioimplants,
Sensors, Water Purification
- Adsorption and Catalysis
- Thermal Insulation
- Gas / Liquid / Fuel Storage
Benefits and Advantages
- Flexible process generates many different types of metal
oxide composites and other nanoporous materials
- Cost effective process avoids time consuming
post-gelation liquid exchange steps, significantly reducing time spent on
drying
- Provides for the synthesis of previously unachievable
high porosity oxides
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