A handling additive composition is disclosed. The composition is useful to improve handling of silicone elastomers prepared from polydiorganosiloxanes and silicone elastomers made therewith.

Poroelastic materials, methods of making such materials, biosensors comprising such materials, and methods of making and using such biosensors. According to one aspect, a poroelastic material is formed by a process that includes depositing a prepolymer composition on a substrate, annealing the prepolymer composition in a pressurized steam environment at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to form a porous medium having a solid matrix formed of a polymer derived from the prepolymer composition, infiltrating the porous medium with a liquid that includes electrically conductive nanomaterials such that the electrically conductive nanomaterials are located within pores of the porous medium, and evaporating the liquid such that the electrically conductive nanomaterials remain in and/or connected through the pores of the porous medium.

A method of forming nanoparticles having superhydrophobicity includes preparing a PDMS film including a structure having a predetermined shape on a surface thereof, and generating the nanoparticles having superhydrophobicity on the surface of the PDMS film by combusting the surface of the PDMS film using a diffusion flame. Transparent nanoparticles having superhydrophobicity and oleophobicity may be generated simply and easily on the surface of the PDMS film.

A curable composition for mechanical foaming has a complex viscosity η* that satisfies the following conditions (A) and (B) in frequency dependence measurement by a rheometer: condition (A): η* at 0.1 Hz and 25° C. is in a range of 1000 to 50000 Pa.Math.s; and condition (B): η* at 10.0 Hz and 25° C. is in a range of 100 to 1000 Pa.Math.s.
The curing form of the curable composition for mechanical foaming is not a moisture curing form.

Drying polar solvents which do not form hydrogen bonds with a wet gel or aerogel, or eutectics or solvent mixtures with the drying solvents, are utilized in a solvent exchange with wet gels used in the formation of aerogels. Preferably the drying solvents are non-polar solvents. The drying solvent or solvent mixtures results in profoundly less shrinkage, thereby allowing for the production of aerogels of preferred materials properties.

Embodiments of the present invention provide users with a system and method for manufacturing water-based hydrophobic aerogels and aerogel composites. The system and method can be carried out in a manner which is more rapid than typical ways and can be readily scalable. The method of manufacture is useful for producing water based hydrophobic aerogels and aerogel composites on a large scale with good homogeneity and consistency. Advantageously, the method of manufacture also has the benefit of a shorter processing time due to the vacuum homogenizing and mixing processes, the use of microwave assisted vacuum freeze drying for ease of synthesis of water-based hydrophobic aerogels.

A non-linear surfactant, and particularly a non-linear surfactant comprising bi-functionalized molecules or particles having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups. The non-linear surfactant includes a nanoparticle template of a rigid molecular structure, wherein the nanoparticle comprises a molecule or a particle that is bi-functionalized with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups to obtain an amphiphilic nanoparticle. The template nanoparticle can be used as a surfactant, wetting agent, emulsifier, detergent or other surface active agents or for the preparation of nanoemulsions or dispersions. The non-linear surfactant can provide smaller particle sizes for emulsion suspensions and foams.

A composition contains the following components: (a) 15 to 49.8 volume-percent of a first polysiloxane that is has a viscosity in a range of 50 centiStokes to 550 Stokes as determined according to ASTM D4283-98; (b) 0.2 to 5 volume-percent of an organoclay; (c) 50-74 volume-percent roundish or crushed thermally conductive fillers including: (i) 5 to 15 volume-percent small thermally conductive fillers having a median particle size in a range of 0.1 to 1.0 micrometers; (ii) 10 to 25 volume-percent medium thermally conductive fillers having a median particle size in a range of 1.1 to 5.0 micrometers; (iii) 25 to 50 volume-percent large thermally conductive fillers having a median particle size in a range of 5.1 to 50 micrometers; and (d) 0 to 5 volume-percent of an alkoxy functional linear polysiloxane different from the first polysiloxane and/or an alkoxy functional linear silane; where volume-percent values are relative to composition volume.

Sealants are provided, including silicone gels, compositions, and methods of making, for use in sealing telecommunications closures. The silicone gels are capable of sealing and resealing rapidly, for example, within 5 minutes after closing.

A fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include coarse glass fibers, glass microfibers, aerogel particles, and a binder. The coarse glass fibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 8 μm and about 20 μm. The glass microfibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 0.5 μm and about 3 μm. The glass microfibers may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers. The aerogel particles may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers and the glass microfibers. The fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include between about 50 wt. % and about 75 wt. % of the aerogel particles. The binder bonds the coarse glass fibers, the glass microfibers, and the aerogel particles together.