Vapor-based method creates ultralight aerogels without conventional liquid-based chemistry
The study is published in Nature Communications.
The study is published in Nature Communications.
The short version
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
- The study is published in Nature Communications .
- The new process transforms frozen solid templates containing microscopic gas bubbles into three-dimensional aerogels under low-pressure conditions.
What happened
During fabrication, ice sublimates directly into vapor while polymer molecules deposit and assemble into an interconnected porous network. This solvent-free approach is environmentally friendly, generates no harmful byproducts and enables unprecedented flexibility in material design.
Why it matters
The resulting aerogels exhibit exceptional performance, achieving densities as low as 0.004 g/cm³, porosities of 90%–99% and surface areas exceeding 1,300 m²/g while maintaining strong mechanical stability.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Phys.org via the links above and below.