Fabricating porous materials using thixotropic gels

摘要

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for fabricating porous materials using thixotropic gels. A shear force is applied to a thixotropic material causing the material to flow. Multiple components are added to the thixotropic material while applying the shear force causing the multiple components to be distributed in the material. The shear force is removed such that the static properties of the thixotropic material in the absence of the shear force retain a distribution of the multiple components in the thixotropic material to form a composite gel material that includes liquid within a network of inter-connected solid particles that include the distributed plurality of components. The liquid in the composite gel material is removed to form a porous composite material.

主权项

1. A method of fabricating a porous material, the method comprising:
applying a shear force to a thixotropic wet gel to yield a thixotropic fluid; adding a plurality of components to the thixotropic fluid while applying the shear force, thereby distributing the plurality of components in the thixotropic fluid; removing the shear force from the thixotropic fluid in which the plurality of components is distributed to yield a composite gel in which the plurality of components is distributed; and treating the composite gel to yield a porous material.