Solvent management methods for gel production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9476123-B2
Application number	US-68566610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2010
Priority date	May 31, 2005
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

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 at a rate effective to allow gelation to occur to the gel precursor mixture on the moving element; and cooling the formed gel thereby reducing the rate of solvent evaporation therefrom.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A method for continuous manufacture of a gel material comprising:
(a) forming a fiber-reinforced gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0.5 mm by dispensing a fibrous structure and a gel precursor solution comprising a solvent onto a moving element at a first temperature and at a predetermined rate effective to allow gelation to occur at the first temperature to the gel precursor solution on the moving element; and
(b) cooling the formed gel sheet on the moving element at a second temperature with a cooling system not in physical contact with the sheet, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gel precursor solution comprises metal oxides.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fibrous structure comprises a fibrous batting.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gel is cooled at a second temperatures below about 20° C.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the gel is cooled at a second temperature between about 20° C. and about 0° C.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gel is cooled via a cooling system positioned adjacent to said gel.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cooling system comprises a structure for containing a cooling medium.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the cooling system conveys a cooling medium.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the cooling medium comprises a fluid, gas or both.

10. A method for continuous manufacture of a gel material comprising:
(a) forming a fiber-reinforced gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0.5 mm by dispensing a fibrous structure and a gel precursor solution comprising a solvent onto a moving element at a first temperature and at a predetermined rate effective to allow gelation to occur at the first temperature to the gel precursor solution on the moving element;
(b) cooling at least one surface of the formed gel sheet on the moving element at a second temperature with a cooling system not in physical contact with the sheet, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature; and
(c) cooling at least one other surface of the formed gel sheet on the moving element at a third temperature with a cooling system in physical contact with the sheet, wherein the third temperature is cooler than the first temperature.

11. A method for continuous 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 at a predetermined rate effective to allow gelation to occur at the first temperature to the gel precursor solution on the moving element; and
(b) cooling at least two surfaces of the formed gel sheet on the moving element at a second temperature with a cooling system, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature.

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

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the gel is cooled at a second temperature below about 20° C.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the gel is cooled at a second temperature between about 20° C. and about 0° C.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the gel is cooled via a cooling system positioned adjacent to said gel.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cooling system comprises a structure for containing a cooling medium.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the cooling system conveys a cooling medium.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the cooling medium comprises a fluid, gas or both.

Assignees

• Gould George L
• Schmidt Kevin A
• Marlette Christopher L
• Zaghi Shahrooz
• Aspen Aerogels Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• C23C18/1208 Primary

  Oxides, e.g. ceramics · CPC title

• C23C18/1283

  Control of temperature, e.g. gradual temperature increase, modulation of temperature · CPC title

• C04B40/04

  Preventing evaporation of the mixing water (permanent coverings C04B41/00) · CPC title

• C04B35/01

  based on oxide ceramics · 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