Organic, open cell foam materials, their carbonized derivatives, and methods for producing same

Abstract

Organic, small pore area materials (“SPMs”) are provided comprising open cell foams in unlimited sizes and shapes. These SPMs exhibit minimal shrinkage and cracking. Processes for preparing SPMs are also provided that do not require supercritical extraction. These processes comprise sol-gel polymerization of a hydroxylated aromatic in the presence of at least one suitable electrophilic linking agent and at least one suitable solvent capable of strengthening the sol-gel. Also disclosed are the carbonized derivatives of the organic SPMs.

1 - 87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . An organic small pore area material with an average pore area of about 2000 to about 50 μm 2 . 
     
     
         89 - 139 . (canceled) 
     
     
         140 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising a monolithic aerogel, wherein its smallest dimension is greater than about 3 inches;
 and said aerogel is substantially free of cracks.   
     
     
         141 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising a monolithic aerogel prepared using a non-critical drying process, wherein its smallest dimension is greater than about 3 inches; and said aerogel is substantially free of cracks. 
     
     
         142 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising a monolithic aerogel prepared using a non-critical drying process, having a density less than about 300 kg/m 3 , and wherein said aerogel is substantially free of cracks. 
     
     
         143 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising a monolithic aerogel prepared using a non-critical drying process, having a surface area less than about 200 m 2 /g, and wherein said aerogel is substantially free of cracks. 
     
     
         144 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising a monolithic aerogel prepared using a non-critical drying process in which the material is substantially dried in less than about 24 hours, and wherein said aerogel is substantially free of cracks. 
     
     
         145 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , comprising:
 (a) greater than about 80% open pores; and   (b) a density less than about 300 kg/m 3 .   
     
     
         146 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the aerogel shrinks less than about 25% (by volume). 
     
     
         147 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the aerogel does not shrink substantially. 
     
     
         148 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the average pore area is less than about 200 μm 2 . 
     
     
         149 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the average pore area is less than about 100 μm 2 . 
     
     
         150 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the average pore area is less than about 50 μm 2 . 
     
     
         151 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the average pore area is less than about 0.8 μm 2 . 
     
     
         152 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the average pore area is less than about 2000 μm 2 . 
     
     
         153 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material is formed in situ, has a monolithic form and has a density of less than about 300 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         154 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material is formed in situ, has a monolithic form and has a surface area of less than about 200 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         155 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material is formed in situ in less than about 24 hours and has a monolithic form. 
     
     
         156 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material comprises a monolithic aerogel. 
     
     
         157 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the smallest dimension of the material is greater than about 3 inches. 
     
     
         158 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material is prepared using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         159 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the density is less than about 275 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         160 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the density is less than about 250 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         161 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the density is less than about 150 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         162 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the density is less than about 100 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         163 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material has a monolithic form, has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.0135 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 10 Torr, and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         164 . The small pore area material according to  claim 163 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.008 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 10 Torr. 
     
     
         165 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material has a monolithic form, has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.009 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 1 Torr, and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         166 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 165 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.007 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 1 Torr. 
     
     
         167 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material has a monolithic form, has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.005 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 0.1 Torr, and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         168 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 167 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.0035 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 0.1 Torr. 
     
     
         169 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material comprises acetic acid. 
     
     
         170 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein the material comprises a hydroxylated aromatic; a solvent capable of providing hydrogen bonding and/or covalent modifications within the small pore area material; and an electrophilic linking agent. 
     
     
         171 . The organic small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein the solvent comprises a hydrogen-bonding agent. 
     
     
         172 . The organic small pore area material of  claim 171 , wherein said hydrogen-bonding agent comprises a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         173 . The organic small pore area material of  claim 172 , wherein said carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, pentanoic acid, and isomers thereof. 
     
     
         174 . The small pore area material of  claim 173 , wherein said carboxylic acid is acetic acid. 
     
     
         175 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said hydroxylated aromatic is a hydroxylated benzene compound. 
     
     
         176 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said hydroxylated aromatic comprises a phenolic-novolak resin. 
     
     
         177 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises an aldehyde. 
     
     
         178 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises furfural. 
     
     
         179 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises alcohol. 
     
     
         180 . The small pore area material of  claim 179 , wherein said alcohol is furfuryl alcohol. 
     
     
         181 . The small pore area material of  claim 170 , wherein said small pore area material is prepared during a sol-gel polymerization process. 
     
     
         182 . The small pore area material according to  claim 88 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         183 . A carbonized form of the low density microcellular material according to  claim 182 . 
     
     
         184 . A carbonized form of the small pore area material according to  claim 88 . 
     
     
         185 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 145 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         186 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 153 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         187 . The small pore area material according to  claim 154 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         188 . The small pore area material according to  claim 155 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         189 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the smallest dimension of the material is greater than about 3 inches. 
     
     
         190 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the material is prepared using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         191 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the material comprises:
 (a) greater than about 80% open pores; and   (b) a density less than about 300 kg/m 3 .   
     
     
         192 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the density is less than about 275 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         193 . The low density microcellular material according to  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the density is less than about 250 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         194 . The low density microcellular material according to  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the density is less than about 150 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         195 . The low density microcellular material according to  claims 185 - 187 , wherein the density is less than about 100 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         196 . The organic small pore area material according to  claim 163 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         197 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 196 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.008 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 10 Torr. 
     
     
         198 . The small pore area material according to  claim 165 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         199 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 198 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.007 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 1 Torr. 
     
     
         200 . The small pore area material according to  claim 167 , wherein said material is a low density microcellular material. 
     
     
         201 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 200 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.0035 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 0.1 Torr. 
     
     
         202 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein said low density microcellular material has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.0135 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 10 Torr, and said material has a monolithic form and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         203 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 202 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.008 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 10 Torr. 
     
     
         204 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein said low density microcellular material has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.009 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 1 Torr, and said material has a monolithic form and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         205 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 204 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.007 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 1 Torr. 
     
     
         206 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , wherein said low density microcellular material has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.005 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 0.1 Torr, and said material has a monolithic form and is formed using a non-critical drying process. 
     
     
         207 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 206 , wherein the thermal conductivity is less than about 0.0035 W/(m·K) at a pressure of up to about 0.1 Torr. 
     
     
         208 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 182 , wherein the material comprises acetic acid. 
     
     
         209 . The low density microcellular material according to any one of  claims 185 - 187 , comprising acetic acid. 
     
     
         210 . The low density microcellular material according to  claim 182 , wherein the material comprises a hydroxylated aromatic; a solvent capable of providing hydrogen bonding and/or covalent modifications within the low density microcellular material; and an electrophilic linking agent. 
     
     
         211 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein the solvent comprises a hydrogen-bonding agent. 
     
     
         212 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 211 , wherein said hydrogen-bonding agent comprises a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         213 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 212 , wherein said carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, pentanoic acid, and isomers thereof. 
     
     
         214 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 212 , wherein said carboxylic acid is acetic acid. 
     
     
         215 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said hydroxylated aromatic is a hydroxylated benzene compound. 
     
     
         216 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said hydroxylated aromatic comprises a phenolic-novolak resin. 
     
     
         217 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises an aldehyde. 
     
     
         218 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises furfural. 
     
     
         219 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said electrophilic linking agent comprises alcohol. 
     
     
         220 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 219 , wherein said alcohol is furfuryl alcohol. 
     
     
         221 . The low density microcellular material of  claim 210 , wherein said low density microcellular material is in the form of a complex prepared during a sol-gel polymerization process.