Porous material and methods related thereto
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein is an aerogel made from a polyhydroxy benzene compound crosslinked with formaldehyde. The aerogel is dry and has a first volume and wherein the aerogel can be exposed to a liquid and be re-dried in a gas while retaining at least 70% of the first volume.
1. An aerogel comprising a matrix of a polyhydroxy benzene compound crosslinked with formaldehyde, wherein aluminum acetate is dispersed within the aerogel, wherein the aerogel is dry and has a first volume, wherein the aerogel can be exposed to water and be re-dried in air while retaining at least 70% of the first volume.
2. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel is hydrophilic.
3. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel is hydrophobic.
4. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxy benzene compound is resorcinol.
5. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the polyhydroxy benzene compound to formaldehyde in the aerogel is from about 1:1 to about 1:4.
6. The aerogel of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel can be exposed to water and be re-dried in air while retaining at least 90% of the first volume.
7. An aerogel comprising a matrix of a polyhydroxy benzene compound crosslinked with formaldehyde, wherein aluminum acetate is dispersed within the aerogel, wherein the aerogel is dry and has a first volume, wherein the aerogel can be exposed to water and be re-dried in air while retaining at least 70% of the first volume, wherein the aerogel is functionalized with a chemical linker, wherein the chemical linker comprises a reactive moiety, wherein the chemical linker comprises an amine, an amide, a silane, an azide, or a thiol.
8. The aerogel of claim 7 , wherein the functionalized aerogel further comprises a signaling moiety, wherein the chemical linker is bound to both the signaling moiety and the aerogel, wherein the signaling moiety comprises a detection portion and a target binding portion.
9. A method of making the aerogel of claim 1 comprising the steps of:
a) crosslinking a polyhydroxy benzene compound with formaldehyde in the presence of aluminum acetate, thereby forming a gel having a first volume; and
b) drying the gel in gas, thereby forming an aerogel having a second volume.
10. A method comprising
a. incubating a sample obtained from a subject with the aerogel of claim 8 ; and
b. determining the presence or absence of a biomarker for a biological condition in the sample using the signaling moiety of the aerogel,
wherein the presence of the biomarker indicates the subject has a biological condition,
wherein the absence of the biomarker indicates the subject does not have a biological condition.
11. A method of detecting comprising the steps of:
a. incubating a sample with the aerogel of claim 8 ; and
b. detecting the presence or absence of a biomarker for a biological condition in the sample using the signaling moiety of the aerogel.
12. A device comprising the aerogel of claim 1 .
13. An aerogel produced by a method comprising the steps of:
a. crosslinking a polyhydroxy benzene compound with formaldehyde in the presence of aluminum acetate, thereby forming a gel having a first volume; and
b. drying the gel in gas, thereby forming an aerogel having a second volume, wherein the aerogel is the aerogel of claim 1 .
14. An aerogel comprising a matrix of a polyhydroxy benzene compound crosslinked with formaldehyde, wherein aluminum acetate is dispersed within the aerogel, wherein the aerogel is dry and has a first volume, wherein the aerogel can be exposed to water and be re-dried in air while retaining at least 70% of the first volume, wherein the aerogel is a functionalized with an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an alkynyl group.