Tailoring of pores in aerogels using 3D printed structures
In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring a three-dimensional printed template created using an additive manufacturing technique, infilling the template with an aerogel precursor solution, allowing formation of a sol-gel, and converting the sol-gel to an aerogel. In another embodiment, a product includes an aerogel having inner channels corresponding to outer walls of a three-dimensional printed template around which the aerogel was formed.
1. A product, comprising:
an aerogel having inner channels corresponding to outer walls of a three-dimensional printed template around which the aerogel was formed,
wherein a length of some of the channels extends continuously along an entire length of the aerogel,
wherein the template is present in the product.
2. The product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel is carbonaceous.
3. The product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel includes a metal oxide.
4. The product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel has distinct regions with different densities.
5. The product of claim 1 , wherein the template is created using a photo-activated resist.
6. The product of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the channels have straight longitudinal axes of at least 1 micron in length.
7. product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel is spatially non-uniform.
8. The product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel has a predefined gradient of density.
9. The product of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the inner channels corresponds directly to a shape of the outer walls of the three-dimensional printed template around which the aerogel was formed.
10. The product of claim 1 , wherein the inner channels are interconnected.
11. The product of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the channels have straight longitudinal axes.
12. The product of claim 1 , wherein the aerogel comprises a first set of channels having a first size and a second set of channels having a second size, wherein the first size and the second size are different.
13. A method of forming the product in claim 1 , comprising:
acquiring a three-dimensional printed template created using an additive manufacturing technique;
infilling the template with an aerogel precursor solution;
allowing formation of a sol-gel; and
converting the sol-gel to the aerogel.
14. The method of claim 13 , comprising removing the template.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the template is removed by a process selected from the group consisting of: pyrolization and application of a solvent thereto.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the aerogel has defined regions with different densities upon removal of the template therefrom.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein converting sol-gel to the aerogel includes pyrollyzing the sol-gel.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the template remains after conversion of the sol-gel to the aerogel.