Synthesis of water‐glass‐based silica aerogel powder via with and without squeezing of hydrogels

Abstract

AbstractThe present article describes the synthesis of water‐glass‐based silica aerogel powder via coprecursor method, using with and without squeezing, in drying technique. The present research was aimed to develop a simple, cost‐effective, and rapid drying process, i.e., squeezing through sol–gel synthesis. The physical and textural properties of the aerogel powder synthesized with and without squeezing process via ambient pressure drying (APD) have been studied and compared. For characterization of aerogel powder, we employed Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller, Barrett‐Joyner‐Halenda, and field emission scanning electron microscope techniques. The experimental results showed that the properties of the aerogel powder obtained by squeezing are superior to those dried in a furnace one. The squeeze‐dried aerogel powder exhibited lower tapping density (0.126 g/cm3) than furnace dried. Furthermore, textural investigations revealed that the aerogel powder has high‐specific surface area (752.3 m2/g), high porosity, low shrinkage, and uniform pore size distribution, which is obtained by squeezing process via APD. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010