Abstract
The aqueous, sol-gel polymerization of melamine with formaldehyde, followed by supercritical extraction, leads to the formation of a new type of organic aerogel. Synthetic conditions (e.g. reaction time, pH) affect the density, transparency, and microstructure of the resultant aerogels. Unlike previous organic aerogels based upon resorcinol-formaldehyde, the melamine-formaldehyde aerogels are both colorless and transparent. Low densities (0.1–0.8 g/cc), high surface areas (∼1000 m2/g), and optical clarity are only a few of the promising characteristics of this new material.
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Pekala, R.W., Alviso, C.T. A New Synthetic Route to Organic Aerogels. MRS Online Proceedings Library 180, 791 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-180-791
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-180-791