Aerogels and films through free radical polymerization / by Anand G. Sadekar.

Title

• Aerogels and films through free radical polymerization / by Anand G. Sadekar.

Language

• English

Authors

• Sadekar, Anand G. (Anand Ghanashyam), 1983-

Publication Information

• ©2011.

Publication Date

• 2011

Physical Description

• xv, 170 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm

Publication Type

• Book

Document Type

• Theses

Subject Terms

• Aerogels
• Colloids
• Free radicals (Chemistry)
• Nanotechnology

Abstract

• Abstract: "Aerogels are porous lightweight materials, unique among all solids in terms of low density, low thermal conductivity, low dielectric constants and high acoustic attenuation. The penalty for those exceptional properties is fragility. That issue has been addressed by bridging covalently (crosslinking) the elementary nanoscopic building blocks of silica aerogels with polymers. To streamline the crosslinking process we synthesized a bidentate free radical initiator (Si-AIBN) that gets attached on the skeletal nanoparticles and induces crosslinking by surface initiated polymerization (SIP). Here, we extend the scope of Si-AIBN in two directions: (a) we demonstrate extremely adhering, covalently attached polymer coatings on oxidized surfaces (glass, metal) and eventually we adapt the method into highly durable conducting polymer films; and, (b) we engage a carbonizable crosslinker (acrylonitrile), whereas the resulting polymer coating, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), can react carbothermally with the underlying silica backbone to yield monolithic, highly porous (>70% v/v) silicon carbide (SiC) suitable as a high temperature catalyst support. Meanwhile, PAN is the major starting material of carbon fiber used industrially in high-strength composites for automotive and aerospace applications. It was thus deemed desirable to explore the synthesis of PAN-derived porous carbons. Although free-radical solution polymerization of acrylonitrile may afford gels, those linear-polymer based gels collapse upon drying and they cannot be converted to aerogels. Use of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) or ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as molecular crosslinkers induces phase-separation of "live" nanoparticles that react with one another forming a robust, covalently bonded 3D network than can be dried into carbonizable and eventually graphitizable aerogels. Phase-separation can be also induced prior to polymerization by surfactants, and thus eventually we demonstrate an environmentally friendly aqueous route to PAN aerogels and carbons"--Abstract, leaf iv.

Notes

• Vita.
• Ph. D. Missouri University of Science and Technology 2011.
• Includes bibliographical references.

Other Titles

• "Green" aerogels and porous carbons by emulsion gelation of acrylonitrile.
• Click synthesis of monolithic silicon carbide aerogels from polyacrylonitrile-coated 3D silica networks.
• Robust PEDOT films by covalent bonding to substrates using in tandem sol-gel, surface initiated free-radical and redox polymerization.

OCLC

• 795201803

Accession Number

• mer.oai.edge.umsystem.folio.ebsco.com.fs00001083.337ebb62.35b3.5b77.88b7.aabc80ba2c8f