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Thin aerogel films for optical, thermal, acoustic and electronic applications

1995; Elsevier BV; Volume: 188; Issue: 1-2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-3093(95)00028-3

1873-4812

L.W. Hrubesh, J.F. Poco,

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials

Aerogels are a special class of continuously porous solid materials which are characterized by nanometer size particles and pores. Typically, aerogels are made using sol-gel chemistry to form a solvent filled, high porosity gel that is dried by removing the solvent without collapsing the tenuous solid phase. As bulk materials, aerogels are known to have many exceptional, and even some unique physical properties. Aerogels provide the highest thermal insulation and lowest dielectric constant of any other material known. However, some important applications require the aerogels in the form of thin films or sheets. For example, electronic applications require micrometer thin aerogel films bonded to a substrate, and others require thicker films, either on a substrate or as free standing sheets. Special methods are required to make aerogel thin films or sheets. In this paper, the special conditions needed to fabricate thin aerogel films are discussed and methods to make films and thin sheets are described. Also, some specific applications are given for which aerogel films are being developed.