Modified hybrid silica aerogels

1. Hybrid silica aerogel compositions comprising a non-polymeric, functional organic material covalently bonded at one or both ends to the silica network through a C—Si bond between a carbon atom of the organic material and a silicon atom of the network, wherein the non-polymeric, functional organic material is an amine-epoxy adduct.

2. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 1 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material comprises branched or unbranched alkyl chains of C1-C40 with at least one of OH, NHR, SH, OH-terminated alkoxy, carboxy, phenolic groups are attached to the chain, and wherein a heteroatom may optionally be a part of the chain.

3. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material is the reaction product of a glycidyloxyalkyl-trialkoxysilane and an aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilane.

4. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 3 , wherein the glycidoalkyl-trialkoxysilane is 3-glycidopropyl-trialkoxysilane; and the aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilane is 3-aminopropyl trialkoxysilane.

5. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material is the reaction product of an alkyldiol diglycidyl ether and aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilanes.

6. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 5 , wherein the alkyldiol diglycidyl ether is butaneldiol diglycidyl ether; and the aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilanes are 3-aminopropyl trialkoxysilanes.

7. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 2 , further comprising at least one functional additive.

8. The hybrid aerogel composition of claim 2 , wherein the composition is reinforced with fibers.

9. A method of preparing hybrid silica aerogel compositions comprising the steps of:

a. combining at least one partially or fully hydrolyzed tetraalkoxysilane, at least one trialkoxysilane covalently bonded to a non-polymeric, functional organic material, and a gelation catalyst to gel the admixture, and

b. drying the gel to obtain an aerogel;

wherein the non-polymeric, functional organic material is an amine-epoxy adduct.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material comprises branched or unbranched alkyl chains of C1-C40 with at least one of OH, NHR, SH, OH-terminated alkoxy, carboxy, phenolic groups are attached to the chain, and wherein a heteroatom may optionally be a part of the chain.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material is the reaction product of a glycidyloxyalkyl-trialkoxysilane and an aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilane.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the glycidoalkyl-trialkoxysilane is 3-glycidopropyl-trialkoxysilane; and the aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilane is 3-aminopropyl trialkoxysilane.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the functional, non-polymeric organic material is the reaction product of an alkyldiol diglycidyl ether and aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilanes.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the alkyldiol diglycidyl ether is butaneldiol diglycidyl ether; and the aminoalkyl-trialkoxysilanes are 3-aminopropyl trialkoxysilanes.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising an aging step after the gelation step, comprising contacting the silanes with an amine containing material.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tetraalkoxysilane comprises between about 10 and about 75% of hydrolysed siloxane.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of adding at least one functional additive.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of adding reinforcing fibers.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gel is dried using supercritical carbon dioxide.

20. A method of preparing hybrid silica aerogel compositions comprising the steps of:

a. combining at least one partially or fully hydrolyzed tetraalkoxysilane, at least one trialkoxysilane covalently bonded to a non-polymeric, functional organic material free of a urea or a urethane linkage, and a gelation catalyst to gel the admixture, and

b. drying the gel to obtain an aerogel.