A method for preparing a monolithic nanoporous silicate sol-gel material for modulating the pore size distribution for one single starting composition without the addition of a structuring agent. The method includes the following steps: a) synthesising a gel from at least one organosilylated precursor, the synthesis being carried out in an aqueous medium, optionally including an organic solvent and without a structuring agent, and b) drying the gel obtained in step a) at a temperature between 10° C. and 70° C., preferably between 15° C. and 55° C. and more preferably between 20° C. and 40° C., in a gas flow in a drying chamber to obtain a monolithic nanoporous silicate sol-gel material and a residual relative humidity in the drying chamber of between 0.1 and 20%, preferably between 0.5 and 10% and more preferably about 5%.

Compositions, methods, and articles of manufacture relating to a transparent/translucent insulating material formed by a hybrid silica gel composition made of porous silica particles joined with each other by silane crosslinking through a three dimensional silica network. In one embodiment, the hybrid silica gel includes small porous silica particles, and is made by a process that avoids energy intensive techniques.

Compositions, methods, and articles of manufacture relating to a transparent/translucent insulating material formed by a hybrid silica gel composition made of porous silica particles joined with each other by silane crosslinking through a three dimensional silica network. In one embodiment, the hybrid silica gel includes small porous silica particles, and is made by a process that avoids energy intensive techniques.

The production method of the present invention can reuse a non-impregnated catalyzed sol, which has been typically discarded, by recovering the catalyzed sol, which is not impregnated in impregnating of a catalyzed sol into a blanket base, to stop gelating the catalyzed sol, and then using this in subsequently preparing a catalyzed sol.

The production method of the present invention can reuse a non-impregnated catalyzed sol, which has been typically discarded, by recovering the catalyzed sol, which is not impregnated in impregnating of a catalyzed sol into a blanket base, to stop gelating the catalyzed sol, and then using this in subsequently preparing a catalyzed sol.

Provided is a method for drying a wet-gel blanket which can have an excellent heat insulation performance by minimizing shrinkage of a gel network structure that occurs during drying, and has excellent drying efficiency versus time, and a method for producing an aerogel blanket using same.

Provided is a method for drying a wet-gel blanket which can have an excellent heat insulation performance by minimizing shrinkage of a gel network structure that occurs during drying, and has excellent drying efficiency versus time, and a method for producing an aerogel blanket using same.

The present invention relates to an aerogel blanket including an aerogel structure and a substrate for a blanket, wherein the aerogel structure includes a three-dimensional network structure formed by a plurality of aerogel particles aggregated or bonded, and an average aerogel structure size (D.sub.50) measured by spraying 10 ml of dry powder of the aerogel structure with air at a pressure of 15 psi, and using laser diffraction of 780 nm wavelength is 5 μm to 10 μm.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a silica aerogel and a silica aerogel produced thereby. The present invention provides a two-step process of a nucleation step of forming silica colloid particles by using a low-concentration silica precursor and a growth step of further adding a relatively high-concentration silica precursor to form a silica wet gel by using the silica colloid particles as a seed. Thus, the present invention provides a method for producing a silica aerogel of which mechanical stability is improved to enhance pore characteristics, and physical properties are readily controllable, and also provides a silica aerogel produced thereby.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a silica aerogel and a silica aerogel produced thereby. The present invention provides a two-step process of a nucleation step of forming silica colloid particles by using a low-concentration silica precursor and a growth step of further adding a relatively high-concentration silica precursor to form a silica wet gel by using the silica colloid particles as a seed. Thus, the present invention provides a method for producing a silica aerogel of which mechanical stability is improved to enhance pore characteristics, and physical properties are readily controllable, and also provides a silica aerogel produced thereby.