A transition of porous structures in monolithic poly(methylsilsesquioxane) (PMSQ, CH3SiO1.5) gels from uniform mesopores to hierarchical pore structures consisting of macro- and mesopores, has been investigated using a sol-gel system containing surfactant Pluronic F127. A broad variation of porous morphology is controlled by changing the concentration of F127. Sufficient concentrations of F127 inhibit the occurrence of macroscopic phase separation of hydrophobic PMSQ condensates and lead to well-defined mesoporous transparent aerogels with high specific pore volume. Mesopores are developed through microscopic phase separation of PMSQ colloid-surfactant complexes in the solvent. Macroscopic phase separation regulates well-defined macropores in the micrometer range on decreasing concentrations of F127, in which microscopic phase separation concurrently takes place in the PMSQ-rich gelling phase after the onset of macroscopic phase separation. Monolithic PMSQ gels with hierarchical macro- and mesopore structures are consequently obtained.

Macro/meso/microporous carbon monoliths doped with sulfur have been prepared from sulfonated polydivinylbenzene networks followed by the activation with CO2 resulted in the activated carbon monoliths with high surface area of 2400 m2 g−1. The monolithic electrode of the activated carbon shows remarkably high specific capacitance (175 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1 and 206 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1).

Recent years, although silica aerogels are expected to be the promising material for energy savings, the lack of mechanical strength prevents from commercial applications such as to low-density thermal insulators. To improve mechanical properties, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS) are used in this study as the co-precursor of aerogels because the network becomes flexible due to the relatively low cross-linking density and to the unreacted methyl groups. Because of the strong hydrophobicity of MTMS/DMDMS-derived condensates, phase separation occurs in aqueous sol and must be suppressed to obtain uniform and monolithic gel. We employed surfactant n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) in starting compositions to control phase separation during a 2-step acid/base sol-gel reaction. By changing the starting composition, various microstructures of pores are obtained. In the uniaxial compression test, the aerogel showed high flexibility and spring-back to the original shape after removing the stress.

Recent years, although silica aerogel is expected to be the material for energy savings, the lack of the strength prevents from commercial usages such as heat-insulating windows. To improve mechanical properties, methyltrimethoxysilane is used as a precursor of aerogels because the network becomes flexible due to the relatively low cross-linking density and to the unreacted methyl groups. Because of the strong hydrophobicity of MTMS-derived condensates, uniform and homogeneous gel networks are hardly attained. In this study, we employed surfactant n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) in starting compositions to control phase separation during a 2-step acid/base sol-gel reaction. By changing the starting composition, properties of aerogels such as bulk density and light transmittance are affected. With increasing amount of CTAC, the gel networks became denser and less transparent. Highly transparent aerogels were obtained when the amount of urea was increased.

Transparent organic-inorganic hybrid aerogels and aerogel-like xerogels have been prepared from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) respectively by supercritical drying (SCD) and ambient pressure drying (APD). The new aerogels and xerogels significantly deform without collapsing on uniaxial compression and almost fully relax when unloaded. This elastic behavior, termed as “gspring-back”, allows APD without noticeable shrinkage and cracking. The flexible network composed of lower cross-linking density (up to three bonds per every silicon atom) compared to silica gels (up to four bonds) and repulsion between hydrophobic methyl groups bonded to every silicon atom largely contributes to the pronounced deformability and relaxing, respectively. Lower surface silanol group density also plays a crucial role for the “gspring-back” behavior.

Macroporous cross-linked polymeric dried gels have been obtained by inducing phase separation in a homogeneous poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) network formed by organotellurium-mediated living radical polymerization (TERP). The living polymerization reaction of DVB with the coexistence of a non-reactive polymeric agent, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), in solvent 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB) resulted in polymerization-induced phase separation (spinodal decomposition), and the transient structure of spinodal decomposition has been frozen by gelation. Well-defined macroporous monolithic dried gels with bicontinuous structure in the micrometer scale are obtained after removing PDMS and TMB by simple washing and drying. The properties of the macropores have been controlled by changing starting composition.

By inducing phase separation parallel to the sol-gel transition of alkoxy-derived silica systems, gels having both macroporous and mesoporous structures can be obtained. Using poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) as a phase-separation inducer, macro/mesoporous silica gels were synthesized. After solvent exchange by water, the size distribution of mesopores of wet gels was evaluated by thermoporometry using a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Alternatively, gels were evaporation-dried after solvent exchange by ethanol or water/ethanol, followed by heat-treatment to completely remove volatile and organic components. Characterization of the dried or heat-treated samples was carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and by nitrogen adsorption measurements. Experimental results showed that the interaction between PAAm and silica is not so strong as the case of polymers having poly(oxyethylene) chains. The contribution of the secondary phase separation within the crosslinking silica-rich phase was suggested to be responsible for the mesopore formation in the PAAm-silica system.

By inducing phase separation parallel to the sol-gel transition of alkoxy-derived silica systems, silica monoliths with well-defined co-continuous macropores were obtained from the systems containing anionic surfactants. We adopted three kinds of anionic surfactants which differ from each other in the length of alkyl chain (CH3(CH2)17SO3Na, CH3(CH2)15SO3Na, CH3(CH2)13SO3Na). Mesopores were also found in the silica skeletons presumably by the supramolecular templating. Characterization of the dried or heat-treated samples was carried out by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption measurements. Experimental results showed that due to the moderate interaction between silica oligomers and surfactants, most of the surfactants are distributed to the solvent phase which determines the macropore volume. The median size and volume of the macropores could be controlled independently by the starting composition. In the absence of any additive to enhance templating by the surfactant, the samples exhibited only amorphous mesopores.

Thermoporometry was employed to monitor the mesopore evolution in wet, drying and heat-treatment stages of monolithic macro/mesoporous silica with SBA-15 like structure. Direct comparison of mesopores in wet state was only possible with the samples extracted with sulfuric acid. In good agreement with the preceding study, the sulfuric acid not only removed the surfactant but also modified the silica gel network into that with reduced amount of micropores and increased stability against the drying stress. Thermoporometry revealed that the structural evolution takes place completely in the wet condition, which accompanies a decrease in the thickness of non-freezable water.

In various crosslinking systems containing metal oxides, organo-siloxane polymers and pure hydrocarbons, monolithic materials with hierarchical well-defined macropores and controlled mesopores have been synthesized. Synthetic progress in alkoxy-derived macroporous silica lead to the preparation of long-range ordered mesoporous skeletons in well-defined macroporous framework. Alkylene-bridged silicon alkoxides can also be prepared into similarly hierarchical porous structures with broadened variations in framework morphology. Macro-mesoporous alkoxy-derived pure titania and zirconia have been prepared using hydrochloric acid – mediated processes. Compared with those prepared from colloidal dispersions, alkoxy-derived macroporous titania exhibited much higher mechanical strength. Titania monolith is a promising candidate as a separation medium to discriminate phosphorylated compounds in a liquid chromatography mode. Pure alumina macroporous monolith has been first synthesized from aluminum salt using propylene glycol as a proton scavenger to thrust the solution pH from acidic into neutral conditions. Alumina-based complex oxides such as garnets and spinels can also be prepared in pure phases. Polymerization and phase separation in organic crosslinker system was also controlled to obtain well-defined co-continuous macro-frameworks instead of those composed of aggregated particles. These examples demonstrate the versatility of using phase-separation in gelling systems to obtain well-defined macroporous structures.

Pure alumina monoliths with well-defined macropores and mesostructured skeleton have been synthesized via a spontaneous route from the aqueous and ethanolic solution of aluminum salts in the presence of propylene oxide and high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO). The addition of propylene oxide to the starting solution controls the gelation, while the addition of PEO induces the phase separation. Appropriate choice of the starting composition, with which the phase separation and gelation concur, produces large-dimension (10mm×10mm×10mm), bicontinuous macroporous Al2O3 monoliths. The mean size of the continuously connected pores is controlled in the micrometer range, depending on the PEO concentration and polarity of the solution. On the other hand, micropores and mesopores, originated from the interstices among primary particles, exhibit median pore size of about 2.6 nm and the BET surface area as high as 396 m2/g after dried temperature at 40 °C.

Macroporous crosslinked polymer gels have been prepared via TEMPO-mediated living radical polymerization of divinylbenzene (DVB) in a solvent with a counter polymer. Incorporating a counter polymer, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), induced macroscopic spinodal-type phase separation during the course of polymerization of DVB while suppressing the segregation of DVB-derived particles from the solution by living polymerization. Well-defined macroporous morphologies comprising continuous DVB-derived skeletons have thus obtained. Macropore volume and diameter were independently controlled by altering the concentrations of PDMS and the solvent. Since the present polymer gels are prepared using only the multifunctional “crosslinker”, mechanical durability against bending and compression was found to be as high as inorganic ceramics with similar morphologies and porosities.

A novel process to fabricate a thick silica gel film on an aluminum substrate, named the “gap filling method”, has been developed. The process is based on a sol-gel method accompanied by phase separation in a submillimeter thick space defined by two facing substrates. Dielectric thick film integrated on a metal ground plate is successfully formed by using a SiO2 coated aluminum substrate and a cap plate covered with an amorphous carbon thin film, which control the hydrophilicity and the hydrophobicity of the plates, respectively. A thin continuous layer of less than 0.5 μm thick is formed at the interface between the porous film and the cap plate, which gives the film a smooth surface preferable for patterning metal circuits of an antenna. The observed dielectric constants (εr) at 60 GHz measured by the Fabry-Perot resonator method are in the range between 1.4 and 1.6. Methyl groups homogeneously distributed in the siloxane network give a hydrophobic siloxane gel film, thus the obtained films have enough environmental stability. These results show that the gap filling method is applicable to the preparation of the porous thick film that is needed for antenna applications.

The geometrical properties of co-continuous macroporous silica monoliths have been studied by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and a comparison with mercury intrusion method has been made. From three-dimensional images obtained by LSCM observation, probability density distributions of curvatures have been calculated on gel skeleton surface by the “sectioning and fitting method”. Measured liquid transport behavior in macroporous siloxane gels has been related to the obtained curvature distributions.

Organic-Inorganic hybrid gels with hierarchical well-defined macropores and supramolecularly templated mesopores with long-range orders have been synthesized in the systems of bridged poly(silsesquioxane) systems. Nonionic surfactants such as poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly(propyleneglycol)- poly(ethyleneglycol) triblock copolymers, EOPOEOs, were found to be effective both in inducing the phase separation to give macroporous morphology and in templating the mesopores with narrow size distribution. The number of methylene units in the bridge, changed from 1 to 6 in the present experiments, affected both the phase separation tendency and template strength. In the system containing 1, 2-bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane, 2D-hexagonal arrangement of mesopores have been prepared in the gel skeleton comprising the well-defined continuous macroporous network with an aid of micelle-stabilizing agent.

Monolithic pure silica gels with hierarchical macro-mesoporous structure have been synthesized via spontaneous sol-gel process from silicon alkoxide using a structure-directing agent and a micelle-swelling agent. Monolithic body with well-defined co-continuous macropores is a result of concurrent phase separation and sol-gel transition induced by the polymerization reaction, whereas the mesopores are templated by the cooperative self-assembly of inorganic species, a structure-directing agent and a micelle-swelling agent. The following removal of surfactants by heat-treatment gives silica gels with hierarchical and fully accessible pores in discrete size ranges of micrometers and nanometers. The highly ordered 2D-hexagonal arrays of mesopores have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements and FE-SEM observations. Furthermore, by further additions of the micelle-swelling agent, the mesostructural transition from well-ordered 2D-hexagonal arrays to mesostructured cellular foams (MCF) have been induced accompanied by minor modifications of the micrometer-range structure.

Gels with hierarchical well-defined macropores and supramolecularly templated mesopores have been synthesized in the systems of pure silica as well as organic-inorganic hybrids. Cationic surfactants such as alkyltrimethylammonium salts and nonionic surfactants such as poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly(propyleneglycol)- poly(ethyleneglycol) triblock copolymers, EOPOEO, were found to be effective for pure silica system both in inducing the phase separation to give macroporous morphology and in templating the mesopores within a narrow distribution width. The partial introduction of methyl-modified alkoxide into the pure silica system lead to increased phase separation tendency accompanied by the disturbance of the supramolecular templating of mesopores. By contrast, in the 1,2-bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane systems, poly(ethylene glycol) and EOPOEO were much better additive to induce phase separation in spite of the presence of internal hydrocarbon chain. Combination of well-defined macropores and supramolecularly templated mesopores has been achieved by selecting an appropriate molecular weight and concentration of EOPOEO in the starting composition.

Macroporous titania gels have been prepared by the sol-gel method starting from aqueous colloidal dispersion of titania. The use of titania sol instead of highly reactive titanium alkoxide allows us to control the rate of gelation. Macroporous morphology is formed when the transitional structure of phase separation is fixed as permanent structures by the sol-gel transition. The domain size can be controlled reproducibly by changing the starting composition. The crystal structure of the titania gel is transformed from anatase to rutile through the heat treatment at 900°C, while the macroporous morphology remains unchanged.

Formation of hierarchical macropores and mesopores in ethylene-bridged polysilsesquioxane sol-gel systems via concurrent sol-gel transition and phase separation induced by the incorporation of supramolecular templats has been investigated. A series of poly(ethylene-glycol)-poly(propyleneglycol)- poly(ethyleneglycol) triblock copolymers, EOPOEOs, have been employed as supramolecular templates, while 1,2-bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane was used as a polysilsesquioxane source. Successful combination of templated mesopores and well-defined macropores due to phase-separation has been found in the system with EOPOEOs having 70 PO units and respective 20 EO units. Although similar macroporous morphology has been obtained for all the EOPOEOs with EO chain longer or shorter than 20 units, the optimum composition for the co-continuous macropores and that for templated mesopores deviated from each other, resulting in the failure of producing hierarchical macropores and mesopores.

Polymerization-induced phase separations and concurrent sol-gel transitions in the hydrolysis and polycondensation of alkylene-bridged polysilsesquioxane system resulted in the formation of co-continuous macroporous gels. Gel morphology with co-continuous macropores and micrometer-sized gel skeletons was obtained in the composition region containing much higher amount of water compared with the case with other alkyltrialkoxysilane sol-gel systems. A narrow pore size distribution and high volume fraction of macropores were obtained in the median size range from few micrometers down to 0.1μm.