MONOLITHIC POLYMER CROSSLINKED COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND METHODS OF MAKING

摘要

A bidentate free radical crosslinking initiator binds chemically to silica and silica rich surfaces and enables the free radical based polymerization of various materials such as styrene, divinylbenzene and methylmethacrylate onto silica and silica rich surfaces. When used in connection with aerogels, the resultant crosslinked aerogels exhibit greatly increased strength with only nominal increase in density.