Organic polymer aerogels, articles of manufacture, and uses thereof are described. The aerogels include an organic polymer matrix and microstructures dispersed within the aerogels, which provides for superior thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.

The present disclosure is directed to methods of forming polyimide gels. The methods generally include forming a polyamic acid and dehydrating the polyamic acid with a dehydrating agent in the presence of water. The resulting polyimide gels may be converted to polyimide or carbon xerogels or aerogels. The methods are advantageous in providing rapid or even instantaneous gelation, which may be particularly useful in formation of beads comprising the polyimide gels. Polyimide or carbon gel materials prepared according to the disclosed method are suitable for use in environments containing electrochemical reactions, for example as an electrode material within a lithium-ion battery.

A method for managing and/or treating obesity and/or overweight and/or for inducing weight loss. The method includes orally administering to a patient a composition capable of being transformed into a hydrogel foam after its introduction into the patient stomach. The hydrogel foam occupies at least 20% of the volume of the patient stomach.

An organic polymer aerogel that includes an organic polymer gel matrix and microstructures dispersed or embedded within the aerogel is disclosed. The aerogel can have an at least bimodal pore size distribution comprising a first peak of less than or equal to 65 nm and a second peak greater than or equal to 100 nm.

The present invention provides a method for producing a porous silicone sheet comprising a freezing step of freezing a wet gel of a porous silicone body having communicating pores and a three-dimensional network silicone skeleton which forms the pores and which is formed by a copolymerization of a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane, to obtain a frozen body, a sheet forming step of forming the frozen body into a sheet to obtain a porous silicone sheet, and a cleaning step of cleaning the porous silicone sheet. According to the method of the present invention, a porous silicone body from which impurities have been sufficiently removed can be produced. In the course of the production, occurrence of fracture of a wet gel can be effectively prevented.

A (super)hydrophobic isocyanate based organic aerogel/xerogel/cryogel having a water contact angle of at least 90° comprising: a cross-linked porous network structure made of polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate and/or polyurea, and hydrophobic compounds having before the gelling step at least one isocyanate-reactive group and no isocyanate groups
Characterized in that said hydrophobic compounds are covalently bonded within the porous network of the aerogel/xerogel/cryogel and wherein said bondings are created during the gelling step of the formation of the isocyanate based organic aerogel/xerogel/cryogel cross-linked porous network structure.

A method for preparing an aerogel comprising nano attapulgite and phenolic aldehyde and a method for preparing abrasion-resistant vehicle tire. 80-100 weight distributions of rubber, 3-8 weight distributions of SiO.sub.2.nH.sub.2O, 3-6 weight distributions of an anti-aging agent, 3-4 weight distributions of a heat stabilizer, 3-5 weight distributions of a compatibilizing agent, and 3-12 weight distributions of the aerogel comprising the nano attapulgite and the phenolic aldehyde is selected as a raw material of the abrasion-resistant rubber material to prepare rubber composite material for the abrasion-resistant vehicle tire.

An organic polymer aerogel that includes an organic polymer gel matrix and microstructures dispersed or embedded within the aerogel is disclosed. The aerogel can have an at least bimodal pore size distribution comprising a first peak of less than or equal to 65 nm and a second peak greater than or equal to 100 nm.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a gelled, dried composition forming a monolithic aerogel with a heat conductivity of less than or equal to 40 mW.Math.m.sup.−1.Math.K.sup.−1 and derived from a resin of polyhydroxybenzene(s) and formaldehyde(s), to this aerogel composition and to the use thereof. This process comprises: a) polymerization in an aqueous solvent of said polyhydroxybenzene(s) and formaldehyde(s) in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst, to obtain a solution based on the resin, b) gelation of the solution obtained in a) to obtain a gel of the resin, and c) drying of the gel to obtain a dried gel. According to the invention, step a) is performed in the presence of a cationic polyelectrolyte dissolved in this solvent, and the process also comprises a step d) of heat treatment under inert gas of the dried gel obtained in step c) at temperatures of between 150° C. and 500° C. to obtain the non-pyrolyzed aerogel whose heat conductivity is substantially unchanged, even after exposure to a humid atmosphere.

The present invention provides a method for producing a porous silicone sheet comprising a freezing step of freezing a wet gel of a porous silicone body having communicating pores and a three-dimensional network silicone skeleton which forms the pores and which is formed by a copolymerization of a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane, to obtain a frozen body, a sheet forming step of forming the frozen body into a sheet to obtain a porous silicone sheet, and a cleaning step of cleaning the porous silicone sheet. According to the method of the present invention, a porous silicone body from which impurities have been sufficiently removed can be produced. In the course of the production, occurrence of fracture of a wet gel can be effectively prevented.