Formation and Pore Structure of Boron Nitride Aerogels |
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| Authors: | David A. Lindquist Theodore T. Borek Stephen J. Kramer Chaitanya K. Narula Gregory Johnston Riley Schaeffer Douglas M. Smith Robert T. Paine |
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| Affiliation: | Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and UNM/NSF Center for Micro-Engineered Ceramics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 |
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| Abstract: | Gels containing a poly(borazinyl amine) and tetrahydrofuran were processed by CO2 supercritical drying techniques followed by pyrolysis. The resulting BN ceramic aerogels are highly porous, and the microstructure, porosity, and surface area characteristics have been examined. The aerogels show excellent thermal stability exhibiting surface areas in excess of 350 m2/g and porosities greater than 0.8 even when heated in argon at 1500°C for 8 h. By removing solvent via evaporation before supercritical drying, the mean pore radius can be varied between 3.6 and 10 nm. |
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| Keywords: | boron nitride formation microstructure gels processing |
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