Particulate composite materials and devices comprising the same are provided.

Particulate composite materials and devices comprising the same are provided.

The present invention relates to a hierarchical composite structure comprising an open cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam, wherein the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is coated with a conductive nanoporous spongy structure and wherein at least 10% v/v of the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is filled with the conductive nanoporous spongy structure. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a hierarchical composite structure wherein a conductive nanoporous spongy structure is electrodeposited so as to coat the open-cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam and to partially fill the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam.

The present invention relates to a hierarchical composite structure comprising an open cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam, wherein the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is coated with a conductive nanoporous spongy structure and wherein at least 10% v/v of the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is filled with the conductive nanoporous spongy structure. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a hierarchical composite structure wherein a conductive nanoporous spongy structure is electrodeposited so as to coat the open-cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam and to partially fill the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam.

A method for manufacturing a part from a first ceramic or from carbon, consolidated by a second ceramic, having a determined geometry, that involves carrying out the following sequence of steps: a) manufacturing a preform made from an organic polymer; b) impregnating the preform made from an organic polymer with a resin that is a precursor of the first ceramic or a resin that is a precursor of carbon; c) crosslinking and/or polymerising, then pyrolysing the resin that is a precursor of the first ceramic or the resin that is a precursor of carbon; to obtain a part made from a first ceramic or from carbon having the same geometry as the part to be manufactured; e) depositing the second ceramic on the part made from a first ceramic or from carbon by means of a chemical vapour deposition or CVD process or a chemical vapour infiltration or CVI process.

A method for manufacturing a part from a first ceramic or from carbon, consolidated by a second ceramic, having a determined geometry, that involves carrying out the following sequence of steps: a) manufacturing a preform made from an organic polymer; b) impregnating the preform made from an organic polymer with a resin that is a precursor of the first ceramic or a resin that is a precursor of carbon; c) crosslinking and/or polymerising, then pyrolysing the resin that is a precursor of the first ceramic or the resin that is a precursor of carbon; to obtain a part made from a first ceramic or from carbon having the same geometry as the part to be manufactured; e) depositing the second ceramic on the part made from a first ceramic or from carbon by means of a chemical vapour deposition or CVD process or a chemical vapour infiltration or CVI process.

Nanoporous three-dimensional networks of polyurethane particles, e.g., polyurethane aerogels, and methods of preparation are presented herein. Such nanoporous networks may include polyurethane particles made up of linked polyisocyanate and polyol monomers. In some cases, greater than about 95% of the linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers are urethane linkages. To prepare such networks, a mixture including polyisocyanate monomers (e.g., diisocyanates, triisocyanates), polyol monomers (diols, triols), and a solvent is provided. The polyisocyanate and polyol monomers may be aliphatic or aromatic. A polyurethane catalyst is added to the mixture causing formation of linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers. Phase separation of particles from the reaction medium can be controlled to enable formation of polyurethane networks with desirable nanomorphologies, specific surface area, and mechanical properties. Various properties of such networks of polyurethane particles (e.g., strength, stiffness, flexibility, thermal conductivity) may be tailored depending on which monomers are provided in the reaction.

Nanoporous three-dimensional networks of polyurethane particles, e.g., polyurethane aerogels, and methods of preparation are presented herein. Such nanoporous networks may include polyurethane particles made up of linked polyisocyanate and polyol monomers. In some cases, greater than about 95% of the linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers are urethane linkages. To prepare such networks, a mixture including polyisocyanate monomers (e.g., diisocyanates, triisocyanates), polyol monomers (diols, triols), and a solvent is provided. The polyisocyanate and polyol monomers may be aliphatic or aromatic. A polyurethane catalyst is added to the mixture causing formation of linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers. Phase separation of particles from the reaction medium can be controlled to enable formation of polyurethane networks with desirable nanomorphologies, specific surface area, and mechanical properties. Various properties of such networks of polyurethane particles (e.g., strength, stiffness, flexibility, thermal conductivity) may be tailored depending on which monomers are provided in the reaction.

A thermally-insulating composite material with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The thermally-insulating composite material can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine rigid fillers.

A thermally-insulating composite material with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The thermally-insulating composite material can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine rigid fillers.