Solvent management methods for gel production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016375464-A1
Application number	US-201615262422-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	May 31, 2005
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention describe a method for continuous manufacture of a gel material comprising the steps of: forming a gel sheet by dispensing a gel precursor mixture onto a moving element; allowing gelation to occur to the gel precursor mixture; and cooling the formed gel with a cooling system, thereby reducing the rate of solvent evaporation therefrom.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1 . A method for manufacture of a gel material comprising:
(a) forming a gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0.5 mm by dispensing a solution comprising a metal oxide gel precursor and a solvent onto a moving element at a first temperature, and allowing gelation of the gel precursor to occur; and (b) cooling at least one surface of the gel sheet on the moving element at a second temperature with at least one cooling system, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein gelation of the gel precursor occurs at a temperature between the first temperature and the second temperature.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cooling system is not in physical contact with the gel sheet.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cooling system is in physical contact with the gel sheet.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the gel sheet is cooled at a third temperature which is cooler than the first temperature.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one surface of the gel sheet is cooled at the second temperature by a cooling system which is not in physical contact with the gel sheet; and at least one surface of the gel sheet is cooled at the third temperature by a cooling system which is in physical contact with the gel sheet.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is below about 20° C.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second temperature is below about 20° C., and the third temperature is below about 20° C.

9 . A method for manufacture of a fiber-reinforced gel material comprising:
(a) forming a fiber-reinforced gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0 . 5 mm by combining a fibrous structure and a gel precursor solution comprising a solvent on a moving element at a first temperature, and allowing gelation of the gel precursor to occur; and (b) cooling at least one surface of the fiber-reinforced gel sheet on the moving element at a second temperature with at least one cooling system, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the gel precursor solution comprises a metal oxide gel precursor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the fibrous structure comprises a fibrous batting.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one cooling system is not in physical contact with the fiber-reinforced gel sheet.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one cooling system is in physical contact with the fiber-reinforced gel sheet.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one surface of the fiber-reinforced gel sheet is cooled at a third temperature which is cooler than the first temperature.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one surface of the fiber-reinforced gel sheet is cooled at the second temperature by a cooling system which is not in physical contact with the fiber-reinforced gel sheet; and at least one surface of the fiber-reinforced gel sheet is cooled at the third temperature by a cooling system which is in physical contact with the fiber-reinforced gel sheet.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature is below about 20° C.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second temperature is below about 20° C., and the third temperature is below about 20° C.

Assignees

• Aspen Aerogels Inc

Inventors

• Gould George L
• Schmidt Kevin A
• Marlette Christopher L
• Zaghi Shahrooz

Classifications

• C04B40/0075

  making use of a decrease in temperature · CPC title

• B29K2105/0061

  Gel or sol · CPC title

• C04B35/624 Primary

  Sol-gel processing · CPC title

• B29C35/16

  Cooling {(cooling extruded material B29C48/911; cooling preforms for blow moulding B29C49/6427; cooling blown articles B29C49/66; cooling tyres during post cure inflation B29D30/0643)} · CPC title

• B05D1/30

  performed by gravity only, i.e. flow coating · CPC title