The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.

The present invention generally relates to microfluidic droplets and, including forming gels within microfluidic droplets. In some aspects, a fluid containing agarose or other gel precursors is transported into a microfluidic droplet, and caused to harden within the droplet, e.g., to form a gel particle contained within the microfluidic droplet. Surprisingly, a discrete gel particle may be formed even if the fluid containing the agarose or other gel precursor, and the fluid contained within the microfluidic droplet, are substantially immiscible. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to techniques for making or using such gels within microfluidic droplets, kits containing such gels within microfluidic droplets, or the like.

Provided are a zirconia sol having a transmittance of 45% or more at a wavelength of 400 nm, having a transmittance of 75% or more at a wavelength of 550 nm, and containing zirconia particles in an amount of 20 wt % or more, and a method for manufacturing the zirconia sol.

Provided are a method of preparing a metal oxide-silica composite aerogel, and a metal oxide-silica composite aerogel having an excellent weight reduction property prepared by the method. The method includes a step of adding an acid catalyst to a first water glass solution to prepare an acidic water glass solution (step 1); a step of adding a metal ion solution to the acidic water glass solution to prepare a precursor solution (step 2); and a step of adding a second water glass solution to the precursor solution and performing a gelation reaction (step 3) to yield a metal oxide-silica composite wet gel, wherein, in steps 2 and 3, bubbling of an inert gas is performed during the adding of the metal ion solution or the second water glass solution, respectively.

Process and a plant for making polyacrylamides by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide and acrylic acid or salts thereof in the presence of initiators for radical polymerization under adiabatic conditions, wherein acrylamide and acrylic acid are stored at the site of the plant as dilute aqueous solutions in pressure-resistant tanks and also the monomer mixing vessel and the polymerization vessel are pressure-resistant. The combination of using diluted monomer solutions and pressure-resistant tanks ensures that even in case of an unintended and uncontrolled polymerization, said vessels don't burst and there is no spill out of the plant to the environment.

A primary amine polymer aerogel comprising greater than 5 wt. % of primary amine monomers covalently bound to cross-linking monomers, wherein the primary amine monomers are selected from vinyl amine. A secondary amine polymer aerogel comprising secondary amine monomers covalently bound to cross-linking monomers, the secondary amine monomers being a result of substituting a hydrogen atom from a primary amine polymer aerogel, the primary amine polymer aerogel comprising vinyl amine monomers covalently bound to the cross-linking monomers. A tertiary amine polymer aerogel comprising tertiary amine monomers covalently bound to cross-linking monomers, the tertiary amine monomers being a result of substituting hydrogen atoms from a primary amine polymer aerogel, the primary amine polymer aerogel comprising vinyl amine monomers covalently bound to the cross-linking monomers.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

The present disclosure provides an aerogel composition which is durable and easy to handle, which has favorable performance in aqueous environments, and which also has favorable combustion and self-heating properties. Also provided is a method of preparing an aerogel composition which is durable and easy to handle, which has favorable performance in aqueous environments, and which has favorable combustion and self-heating properties. Further provided is a method of improving the hydrophobicity, the liquid water uptake, the heat of combustion, or the onset of thermal decomposition temperature of an aerogel composition.

Disclosed herein are aluminum oxide aerogels and methods of making and use thereof. The methods of making the aluminum oxide aerogel include contacting a solid comprising aluminum with a Ga-based liquid alloy to dissolve at least a portion of the aluminum from the solid, thereby forming an aluminum-alloy mixture; and contacting the aluminum-alloy mixture with a fluid comprising water, thereby forming the aluminum oxide aerogel. In some examples, the methods can further comprise capturing and converting carbon dioxide to a syngas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Aerogel materials, aerogel composites, and the like may be improved by the addition of opacifiers to reduce the radiative component of heat transfer. Such aerogel materials, aerogel composites, and the like may also be treated to impart or improve hydrophobicity. Such aerogel materials and methods of manufacturing the same are described.