The Chemistry and Physics of Aerogels Synthesis, Processing, and Properties

Discover a rigorous treatment of aerogels processing and techniques for characterization with this easy-to-use reference. Presents the basics of aerogel synthesis and gelation to open porous nanostructures, and the processing of wet gels like ambient and supercritical drying leading to aerogels. Describes their essential properties with their measurement techniques and theoretical models used to analyse relations to their nanostructure. Linking the fundamentals and with practical applications, this is a useful toolkit for advanced undergraduates, and graduate students doing research in material and polymer science, physical chemistry, and chemical and environmental engineering.

1. Introduction; 2. Chemical Synthesis of Aerogels from Monomeric Precursors; 3. Chemical Synthesis of Aerogels from Polymeric Precursors; 4. Gelation; 5. Drying of Wet Gels; 6. Morphology of Aerogels; 7. Density – Models and Measures; 8. Specific Surface Area; 9. Pores and Pore Sizes; 10. Diffusion in Aerogels; 11. Permeability for Gases; 12. Thermal Properties; 13. Mechanical Properties of Aerogels; 14. How to Cook Aerogels: Recipes and Procedures.

Lorenz Ratke is a Senior Scientist at the German Aerospace Center, DLR, Institute of Materials Research where he served as department head until 2016. He is as a Member of the German Physical Society (DPG) and the German Society of Materials (DGM).
Pavel Gurikov is a Professor at Hamburg University of Technology, Laboratory for Development and Modelling of Novel Nanoporous Materials. He is a member of International Adsorption Society and European Society for Engineering Education. In 2019 he received the Professor Siegfried Peter Prize for pioneering research work in high-pressure process engineering.