Aerogels are synthetic porous materials derived from sol-gel materials in which the liquid component has been replaced with gas to leave intact solid nanostructures without pore collapse. Recently, aerogels based on natural or synthetic polymers, called polymer or organic aerogels, have been widely explored due to their porous structures and unique properties, such as high specific surface area...

Aerogels have an extraordinarily large internal surface area which is accessible via open pores, making them candidates for filters and gas adsorption media. The idea is frequently included in lists of potential applications, but little research has been conducted on the use of aerogels as filters or adsorption media. Consideration of aerogels for use as aerosol collection media requires knowle...

Photoluminiscent (PL) cellulose aerogels of variable shape containing homogeneously dispersed and surface-immobilized alloyed (ZnS)x(CuInS2)1-x/ZnS (core/shell) quantum dots (QD) have been obtained by (1) dissolution of hardwood prehydrolysis kraft pulp in the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazolium chloride, (2) addition of a homogenous dispersion of quantum dots in the same solvent, (3) ...

We review recent results on the effect of a specific type of quenched disorder on well known O(m)–vector models in three dimensions: the XY model (3DXY, m = 2) and the Ising model (3DIS, m = 1). Evidences of changes of criticality in both systems, when confined in aerogel pores, are briefly referenced. The 3DXY model represents the universality class to which the λ–transition of bulk superfluid...

Low-refractive index silica aerogel is the most convenient radiator for threshold-type Cherenkov counters, which is used for particle identification in high-energy physics experiments. For the BELLE detector at the KEK B-Factory, we have produced about 2 m of hydrophobic silica aerogels of n = 1.01 1.03 using a new production method. The particle identification capability of the aerogel Cherenk...

In the present study, a biopolymer (cellulose, rice starch or zein protein) was dissolved in the ionic liquid (1-butyl-3methylimidazolium chloride) and co-solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide) mixture (1:1 weight ratio), and then blended with the agar solution, followed by gelation at low temperature. The blends were soaked and shaken in 250 mL distilled water, washed and freeze-dried. The agar/biopolym...

Silica aerogels are porous and extremely lightweight nano-materials shows interesting properties. These materials, because of biocompatibility, non-harmful to the body and special physical characteristics such as large surface area and low density have great potential for use in a drug delivery system (DDS). The focus of this study is the evaluation of the effects of silica aerogels on improvin...

Silica aerogels functionalized with strongly fluorescent carbon quantum dots were first prepared and used for simple, sensitive, and selective sensing of NO2 gas. In the presence of ethanol, homemade silica aerogels with a large specific surface area of 801.17 m(2)/g were functionalized with branched polyethylenimine-capped quantum dots (BPEI-CQDs) with fluorescence quantum yield higher than 40...

Microsized aerogels were prepared from epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix blend using the solvent exchange method and dropping technique with sonication. Some parameters were manipulated in order to observe its effects on resultant aerogels. Parameter studied were ENR/PVC solution viscosity, ratio of ENR/PVC solution to EtOH/H 2 O solution and sonication time.It was...

To address oil spillage and chemical leakage accidents, the development of efficient sorbent materials is of global importance for environment and water source protection. Here we report on a new type of carbon nanofiber (CNF) aerogels as efficient sorbents for oil uptake with high sorption capacity and excellent recyclability. Importantly, the oil uptake ability of the CNF aerogels can be main...