Kazuyoshi Kanamori

Transparent organic–inorganic hybrid aerogels and xerogels are prepared by using a sol–gel synthesis from a single trifunctional precursor, methyltrimethoxysilane (see figure). Obtained aerogels show a reversible shrinkage–recovery response against uniaxial compression. Aerogel-like xerogels are successfully obtained by evaporation drying under ambient pressure because the gels recover from the temporal shrinkage caused by the capillary force of a drying solvent. Pore properties and nanotextures

A facile yet versatile approach to transparent, highly flexible, machinable, superinsulating organic–inorganic hybrid aerogels is presented. This method involves radical polymerization of a single alkenylalkoxysilane to obtain polyalkenylalkoxysilane, and subsequent hydrolytic polycondensation to afford a homogeneous, doubly cross-linked nanostructure consisting of polysiloxanes and hydrocarbon polymer units. Here we demonstrate that novel aerogels based on polyvinylpolysilsesquioxane (PVPSQ), p

Aerogels are porous materials but show poor mechanical properties and limited functionality, which significantly restrict their practical applications. Preparation of highly bendable and processable aerogels with multifunctionality remains a challenge. Herein we report unprecedented superflexible aerogels based on polyvinylpolydimethylsiloxane (PVPDMS) networks, PVPDMS/polyvinylpolymethylsiloxane (PVPMS) copolymer networks, and PVPDMS/PVPMS/graphene nanocomposites by a facile radical polymerizat

Rigid macroporous poly(divinylbenzene) monoliths with good mechanical and thermal stability and possessing a well-defined bicontinous structure (see figure) are synthesized using living radical polymerization and a polymeric phase separator. The macropore size and volume can be independently tuned by varying the starting compositions of the mixtures. Scale bars represent 20 μm, a–d show increasing polydimethylsiloxane concentration.

Aerogels are attracting increasing attention due to their high thermal insulation ability as well as unique properties such as high porosity, surface area, and transparency. However, low mechanical strengths, originating from their unique porous structure, impede handling, formability, mass production, and extended applications. This minireview focuses on the strengthening of aerogels by several organic-inorganic hybridization strategies. In particular, successful strengthening methodologies, wh

Recently, many efforts have been made to develop various smart sensors. However, achieving flexible multifunctional sensors combining excellent sensing of temperature, strain, and pressure with a single material is still challenging. Here, we report unprecedented superhydrophobic ultraflexible reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polyorganosiloxane aerogels and high-performance multifunctional temperature/strain/pressure sensors based on these aerogels. GO nanosheets are first cross-linked and reduced w

In recent decades, aerogels have attracted tremendous attention in academia and industry as a class of lightweight and porous multifunctional nanomaterial. Despite their wide application range, the low mechanical durability hinders their processing and handling, particularly in applications requiring complex physical structures. "Mechanically strengthened aerogels" have emerged as a potential solution to address this drawback. Since the first report on aerogels in 1931, various modified synthesi

Structural deformation of phase-separated methylsiloxane gel under the influence of a surface has been studied. Competitive wetting of siloxane gel phase on a surface during phase formation is found to significantly affect the final morphology in a confined space. When the spinodal wavelength is sufficiently shorter than the size of the available space, a uniform bicontinuous structure forms in confined geometry. However, gel skeletons in the vicinity of a surface are elongated with decreasing s

Macroporous cross-linked organic polymer monoliths with well-defined bicontinuous structure have been synthesized from 1,3-glycerol dimethacrylate (GDMA) in a solvent utilizing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). With the addition of an adequate polymeric agent, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), spinodal decomposition was induced in the course of polymerization of GDMA. A homogeneous gelation by ATRP solidified the temporal biphasic morphology of spinodal decomposition, resulting in well-defi

The synthesis of highly crystalline macro-meso-microporous monolithic Cu3(btc)2 (HKUST-1; btc(3-) = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) is demonstrated by direct conversion of Cu(OH)2-based monoliths while preserving the characteristic macroporous structure. The high mechanical strength of the monoliths is promising for possible applications to continuous flow reactors.

Aerogels have attracted great interest for their unique properties, but their mechanical brittleness and poor functionality highly limit their practical applications. Herein, we report unprecedented superelastic multifunctional aminosilane-crosslinked reduced graphene oxide (AC<b>-</b>rGO) aerogels that are prepared via a facile and scalable strategy involving simultaneous crosslinking and reducing of graphene oxide nanosheets with different kinds of aminosilanes via C-N coupling and hydrolytic