Porous material having anisotropic structure and method of making the same

摘要

A method of forming an anisotropic porous material includes forming an aerogel precursor, the aerogel precursor including a matrix material and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing the matrix material. The aerogel precursor is frozen so that the dispersion is solidified while controlling the direction of crystal growth within the aerogel precursor. The aerogel precursor is freeze dried to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material.

主权项

1. A method of forming an anisotropic porous material, including:
forming an aerogel precursor, the aerogel precursor including a matrix material and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing the matrix material; providing a mold having a bottom, at least one side, and an open top opposed the bottom, the mold comprising:
an area of low thermal conductivity located on the bottom of the mold and an area of high thermal conductivity located on the at least one side of the mold, the area of high thermal conductivity having a higher thermal conductivity than the area of low thermal conductivity; ora plurality of conductive channels of high thermal conductivity that pass through the bottom having low thermal conductivity so as to be in fluid contact with the aerogel precursor, the conductive channels of high thermal conductivity having a higher thermal conductivity than the bottom having the low thermal conductivity; freezing the aerogel precursor within the mold so that the dispersion is solidified while controlling the direction of crystal growth within the aerogel precursor; and freeze drying the aerogel precursor to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material.