A method for producing a silica aerogel, the method including preparing a reactant by adding a basic catalyst to a first silica precursor solution, performing primary gelation in which the reactant is stirred to form a gel precursor, introducing a second silica precursor solution to a fiber, and performing a secondary gelation in which the gel precursor is introduced to the fiber to which the second silica precursor solution was introduced to form a silica aerogel.

The present invention discloses novel methods for producing highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects that are hard, sturdy, and resistant to high temperatures. These methods comprise preparing nanoparticulate oxides of metals and/or metalloids via a step of vigorous stirring to prevent gelation, preparing polymer-modified xerogel powder compositions by reacting said nanoparticulate oxides with one or more polyfunctional monomers, compressing said polymer-modified xerogel powder compositions into shaped compacts, and carbothermal conversion of the shaped xerogel compacts via pyrolysis to provide the highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects that have the same shapes as to their corresponding xerogel compact precursors. Representative of the highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects of the invention are ceramic and/or metal aerogels of Si, Zr, Hf, Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Au, and the like. Examples include sturdy, shaped, highly porous silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4), zirconium carbide (ZrC), hafnium carbide (HfC), chromium carbide (Cr.sub.3C.sub.2), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium boride (ZrB.sub.2), hafnium boride (HfB.sub.2), and metallic aerogels of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), gold (Au), and the like. Said aerogel monolithic objects have utility in various applications such as, illustratively, in abrasives, in cutting tools, as catalyst support materials such as in reformers and converters, as filters such as for molten metals and hot gasses, in bio-medical tissue engineering such as bone replacement materials, in applications requiring strong lightweight materials such as in automotive and aircraft structural components, in ultra-high temperature ceramics, and the like.

The present invention discloses novel methods for producing highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects that are hard, sturdy, and resistant to high temperatures. These methods comprise preparing nanoparticulate oxides of metals and/or metalloids via a step of vigorous stirring to prevent gelation, preparing polymer-modified xerogel powder compositions by reacting said nanoparticulate oxides with one or more polyfunctional monomers, compressing said polymer-modified xerogel powder compositions into shaped compacts, and carbothermal conversion of the shaped xerogel compacts via pyrolysis to provide the highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects that have the same shapes as to their corresponding xerogel compact precursors. Representative of the highly porous ceramic and/or metal aerogel monolithic objects of the invention are ceramic and/or metal aerogels of Si, Zr, Hf, Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Au, and the like. Examples include sturdy, shaped, highly porous silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4), zirconium carbide (ZrC), hafnium carbide (HfC), chromium carbide (Cr.sub.3C.sub.2), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium boride (ZrB.sub.2), hafnium boride (HfB.sub.2), and metallic aerogels of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), gold (Au), and the like. Said aerogel monolithic objects have utility in various applications such as, illustratively, in abrasives, in cutting tools, as catalyst support materials such as in reformers and converters, as filters such as for molten metals and hot gasses, in bio-medical tissue engineering such as bone replacement materials, in applications requiring strong lightweight materials such as in automotive and aircraft structural components, in ultra-high temperature ceramics, and the like.

A titania porous body is entirely formed of titania. The titania porous body includes a titania framework, first pores, and second pores. The titania framework forms a three-dimensional network structure. The first pores are opening portions of the three-dimensional structure. The second pores are disposed in a surface of the titania framework. Such a titania porous body is also referred to as a titania monolith.

A titania porous body is entirely formed of titania. The titania porous body includes a titania framework, first pores, and second pores. The titania framework forms a three-dimensional network structure. The first pores are opening portions of the three-dimensional structure. The second pores are disposed in a surface of the titania framework. Such a titania porous body is also referred to as a titania monolith.

The rate of release of a well treatment agent into a well may be controlled by introducing into the well a screen containing a well treatment composite having a well treatment agent and a support for the well treatment agent. The diameter of the substrate is less than the diameter of the opening of the screen of the screen assembly. Over time, the well treatment agent is released from the substrate and passes from the interior of the screen into the well.

The rate of release of a well treatment agent into a well may be controlled by introducing into the well a screen containing a well treatment composite having a well treatment agent and a support for the well treatment agent. The diameter of the substrate is less than the diameter of the opening of the screen of the screen assembly. Over time, the well treatment agent is released from the substrate and passes from the interior of the screen into the well.

Described herein is a scalable, economic, energy and time efficient method for the synthesis of a crystalline uniform nanoporous oxide material by utilizing colloidal particles in solution combustion synthesis. By removing colloids from nanocomposite via chemical etching crystalline uniform porous oxide is prepared with tailored porosity. The produced oxides have high specific surface area, high pore volume, uniform pore structure and high crystallinity. Properties of the oxide can be tuned by the concentration and size of colloids added, which affects the porous structure (mesopore diameter, pore wall thickness, surface area, and pore volume). In principle, this method can be applied to synthesize different high porosity crystalline metal oxides and nanocomposites.

A superhard polycrystalline construction comprises a body of polycrystalline superhard material comprising a structure comprising superhard material, the structure having porosity greater than 20% by volume and up to around 80% by volume. A method of forming such a superhard polycrystalline construction comprises forming a skeleton structure of a first material having a plurality of voids, at least partially filling some or all of the voids with a second material to form a pre-sinter assembly, and treating the pre-sinter assembly to sinter together grains of superhard material to form a body of polycrystalline superhard material comprising a first region of superhard grains, and an interpenetrating second region; the second region being formed of the other of the first or second material that does not comprise the superhard grains; the superhard grains forming a sintered structure having a porosity greater than 20% by volume and up to around 80% by volume.

A system and method for producing an aerogel composite material includes a reaction vessel having a movable carrier basket for receiving a plurality of fiber mats, and a plurality of plates to space the fiber mats apart from one another. Once the plates have been removed, there are gaps between the aerogel insulating boards, through which hot drying air can be blown during a drying process. The method has the advantage that the quantities of solvents and reagents to be disposed of are minimal, and in addition thereto, no complex work-up processes are necessary.