A methylsilicic acid hydrogel is produced by reacting a solution of sodium methyl siliconate with a gaseous acid agent. The resulting product is vacuumised to remove residual gas, and washed with water. A significant OH-group content in the hydrogel, which results from bubbling the gaseous acid agent through the solution of sodium methyl siliconate, makes it possible to increase the selectivity of the adsorption properties when the hydrogel is used in medicine and veterinary science.

Provided is a method for recycling supercritical waste liquid generated during a process of producing a silica aerogel blanket, and a method for producing a silica aerogel blanket reusing supercritical waste liquid recycled thereby. The method for recycling supercritical waste liquid and the method for producing a silica aerogel blanket reduce the production costs and prevent the deterioration in thermal insulation performance of a silica aerogel blanket by adding a metal salt to the supercritical waste liquid by the recycling method.

Provided is a method for recycling supercritical waste liquid generated during a process of producing a silica aerogel blanket, and a method for producing a silica aerogel blanket reusing supercritical waste liquid recycled thereby. The method for recycling supercritical waste liquid and the method for producing a silica aerogel blanket reduce the production costs and prevent the deterioration in thermal insulation performance of a silica aerogel blanket by adding a metal salt to the supercritical waste liquid by the recycling method.

A process of preparing a polydopamine aerogel comprising first mixing together a silica precursor and an amine-functionalized silica precursor in a solvent to form a first solution. Then, adding an acid catalyst to the first solution to form a silica gel. Then, equilibrating the silica gel in a 50/50 solvent/water mixture. Wherein the final step in the process is to add about 1 mg/ml solution of a dopamine monomer to the silica gel to form a polydopamine aerogel.

A process of preparing a polydopamine aerogel comprising first mixing together a silica precursor and an amine-functionalized silica precursor in a solvent to form a first solution. Then, adding an acid catalyst to the first solution to form a silica gel. Then, equilibrating the silica gel in a 50/50 solvent/water mixture. Wherein the final step in the process is to add about 1 mg/ml solution of a dopamine monomer to the silica gel to form a polydopamine aerogel.

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an aerogel composite, wherein the method includes impregnating a catalyzed silica sol into a fiber mat in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 1:1 (catalyzed silica sol:fiber mat) and then performing gelation thereon S10. The present disclosure also relates to an aerogel composite manufactured by the disclosed method.

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an aerogel composite, wherein the method includes impregnating a catalyzed silica sol into a fiber mat in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 1:1 (catalyzed silica sol:fiber mat) and then performing gelation thereon S10. The present disclosure also relates to an aerogel composite manufactured by the disclosed method.

The invention provides silica wet gel, silica aerogel, and methods that can be used to form an enhanced silica aerogel sheet having fewer optical defects along with other desirable properties.

The invention provides silica wet gel, silica aerogel, and methods that can be used to form an enhanced silica aerogel sheet having fewer optical defects along with other desirable properties.

The present disclosure provides a porous silica having an average pore diameter of at least 210 Å and a pore volume of at least 0.80 cm.sup.3g.sup.−1. The present disclosure also provides a method of producing the porous silica including gelling a liquid phase-dispersed nanoparticulate silica in the presence of either (i) a Brønsted acid and an amine group having two or more primary or secondary amine groups or (ii) an amino acid.