Systems and methods for producing aerogel materials

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing aerogel materials are generally described. In certain cases, the methods do not require supercritical drying as part of the manufacturing process. In some cases, certain combinations of materials, solvents, and/or processing steps may be synergistically employed so as to enable manufacture of large (e.g., meter-scale), substantially crack free, and/or mechanically strong aerogel materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 152 . (canceled) 
     
     
         153 . A method of manufacturing an aerogel, comprising:
 freezing a solvent within pores of a gel, and   sublimating the solvent to remove the solvent from the pores of the gel to produce an aerogel,   wherein the aerogel has at least one dimension having a length that is within about 20% of the length of a corresponding dimension of the gel immediately prior to the sublimating.   
     
     
         154 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive modulus of greater than or equal to 100 kPa and less than or equal to 100 MPa. 
     
     
         155 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive yield strength of greater than or equal to 20 kPa and less than or equal to 500 MPa. 
     
     
         156 . The method of  claim 154 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive yield strength of greater than or equal to 20 kPa and less than or equal to 500 MPa. 
     
     
         157 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive ultimate strength of greater than or equal to 1 MPa and less than or equal to 1000 MPa. 
     
     
         158 . The method of  claim 154 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive ultimate strength of greater than or equal to 1 MPa and less than or equal to 1000 MPa. 
     
     
         159 . The method of  claim 155 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive ultimate strength of greater than or equal to 1 MPa and less than or equal to 1000 MPa. 
     
     
         160 . The method of  claim 156 , wherein the aerogel has a compressive ultimate strength of greater than or equal to 1 MPa and less than or equal to 1000 MPa. 
     
     
         161 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel comprises at least one of a polyurea, a polyisocyanate, a polyisocyanurate, a polyimide, a polyamide, a polyaramid, and a polyurethane. 
     
     
         162 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
         163 . The method of  claim 162 , wherein the alcohol comprises at least one of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol, tert-butanol, a pentanol, cyclohexanol, 2-methoxyethanol, and amyl alcohol. 
     
     
         164 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the solvent comprises at least one of acetone, dimethylsulfoxide, acetonitrile, N-methylpyrrolidone, and N,N′-dimethylformamide. 
     
     
         165 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the sublimating is performed without applying a vacuum to the gel. 
     
     
         166 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the sublimating is performed at ambient pressure conditions. 
     
     
         167 . The method of  claim 166 , wherein the sublimating is performed while flowing a gas along a surface of the gel. 
     
     
         168 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel has a dimension having a length of greater than or equal to 100 cm. 
     
     
         169 . The method of  claim 168 , wherein the dimension is a first dimension, and the aerogel has a second dimension, perpendicular to the first dimension, that has a length of greater than or equal to 100 cm. 
     
     
         170 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein the aerogel has a dimension having a length of greater than or equal to 100 cm and less than or equal to 10 m. 
     
     
         171 . The method of  claim 170 , wherein the dimension is a first dimension, and the aerogel has a second dimension, perpendicular to the first dimension, that has a length of greater than or equal to 100 cm and less than or equal to 10 m.