The invention relates to a method for producing an aerogel material with a porosity of at least 0.55 and an average pore size of 10 nm to 500 nm, having the following steps: a) preparing and optionally activating a sol; b) filling the sol into a casting mold (10); c) gelling the sol, whereby a gel is produced, and subsequently aging the gel; at least one of the following steps d) and e), d) substituting the pore liquid with a solvent; e) chemically modifying the aged and optionally solvent-substituted gel (6) using a reaction agent; followed by f) drying the gel, whereby the aerogel material is formed. The casting mold used in step b) is provided with a plurality of channel-forming elements (2) which are designed such that the sol filled into the casting mold lies overall at a maximum distance X from a channel-forming element over a specified minimum length L defined in the channel direction of the elements, with the proviso that X<15 mm and L/X>3.

The invention relates to a method for producing an aerogel material with a porosity of at least 0.55 and an average pore size of 10 nm to 500 nm, having the following steps: a) preparing and optionally activating a sol; b) filling the sol into a casting mold (10); c) gelling the sol, whereby a gel is produced, and subsequently aging the gel; at least one of the following steps d) and e), d) substituting the pore liquid with a solvent; e) chemically modifying the aged and optionally solvent-substituted gel (6) using a reaction agent; followed by f) drying the gel, whereby the aerogel material is formed. The casting mold used in step b) is provided with a plurality of channel-forming elements (2) which are designed such that the sol filled into the casting mold lies overall at a maximum distance X from a channel-forming element over a specified minimum length L defined in the channel direction of the elements, with the proviso that X<15 mm and L/X>3.

Provided are a preparation method of a silica aerogel-containing blanket which includes mixing a water glass solution, a polar organic solvent, and a silazane-based surface modifier to prepare a sol, preparing a silica gel-base material composite by immersion and gelation of a base material for a blanket in the sol, and drying the silica gel-base material composite, and a silica aerogel-containing blanket prepared by using the preparation method.

A silica aerogel-containing blanket having a high degree of hydrophobicity as well as excellent physical properties, particularly, low tap density, high porosity, and excellent mechanical flexibility may be prepared by the minimal use of a surface modifier without a surface modification step by the above method.

Provided are a preparation method of a silica aerogel-containing blanket which includes mixing a water glass solution, a polar organic solvent, and a silazane-based surface modifier to prepare a sol, preparing a silica gel-base material composite by immersion and gelation of a base material for a blanket in the sol, and drying the silica gel-base material composite, and a silica aerogel-containing blanket prepared by using the preparation method.

A silica aerogel-containing blanket having a high degree of hydrophobicity as well as excellent physical properties, particularly, low tap density, high porosity, and excellent mechanical flexibility may be prepared by the minimal use of a surface modifier without a surface modification step by the above method.

Disclosed is a simple, inexpensive method for preparing a hydrophobic silica aerogel by using a sodium silicate solution as a silica precursor.

Disclosed is a simple, inexpensive method for preparing a hydrophobic silica aerogel by using a sodium silicate solution as a silica precursor.

Provided is a hydrophobic silica aerogel blanket comprising holes, so that the diffusion of a surface modifier is facilitated in a blanket during a surface modification process to improve the efficiency of surface modification. Accordingly, the hydrophobic silica aerogel has not only excellent physical properties such as specific surface area and thermal conductivity, but also a controlled degree of hydrophobicity, and thus, can have high hydrophobicity.

Provided is a hydrophobic silica aerogel blanket comprising holes, so that the diffusion of a surface modifier is facilitated in a blanket during a surface modification process to improve the efficiency of surface modification. Accordingly, the hydrophobic silica aerogel has not only excellent physical properties such as specific surface area and thermal conductivity, but also a controlled degree of hydrophobicity, and thus, can have high hydrophobicity.

Disclosed herein are methods for the preparation of porous metal oxide materials, including metal oxide xerogels and metal oxide aerogels. Methods for preparing porous metal oxide materials can comprise (i) reacting a metal alkoxide with water in the presence of a catalyst system to form a partially hydrolyzed sol, (ii) contacting the partially hydrolyzed sol with a base catalyst and a non-aqueous solvent to form a precursor gel; and (iii) drying the precursor gel to form the porous metal oxide material. The catalyst system employed in step (i) comprises a combination of a weak acid and a strong acid.

Disclosed herein are methods for the preparation of porous metal oxide materials, including metal oxide xerogels and metal oxide aerogels. Methods for preparing porous metal oxide materials can comprise (i) reacting a metal alkoxide with water in the presence of a catalyst system to form a partially hydrolyzed sol, (ii) contacting the partially hydrolyzed sol with a base catalyst and a non-aqueous solvent to form a precursor gel; and (iii) drying the precursor gel to form the porous metal oxide material. The catalyst system employed in step (i) comprises a combination of a weak acid and a strong acid.