Phys.org July 26, 2018
Researchers in Japan have introduced extremely elastic aerogels that are easy to process and can be produced at low cost. Their success relies on a doubly cross-linked organic-inorganic network structure with adjustable network density. The delicate structures are highly elastic. They can be bent, rolled, twisted, and cut into desired shapes. The more densely crosslinked versions exhibit high thermal insulation, surpassing conventional materials like polyurethane foam. When exposed to a mixture of hexane and water, they exclusively absorb the hexane, which can subsequently be removed by squeezing the material like a sponge or by evaporation. This allows solvents or oils like acetone, toluene, mineral oil, and kerosene to be separated if they accidentally enter a body of water, for example. The researchers have also produced composites with these polymers and electrically conducting graphene nanoplatelets. Under pressure, the graphene platelets move closer together, reversibly increasing the conductivity… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Credit: Wiley