Inventors:
- Oakland CA, US
Bruce S. Dunn - Los Angeles CA, US
Sarah H. Tolbert - Encino CA, US
Michal Marszewski - Los Angeles CA, US
Yan Yan - Los Angeles CA, US
Sophia C. King - Los Angeles CA, US
Esther H. Lan - Los Angeles CA, US
Danielle Butts - Los Angeles CA, US
Patricia E. McNeil - Los Angeles CA, US
Assignee:
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - Oakland CA
International Classification:
E06B 3/67
C01B 33/158
C01B 33/154
E06B 3/66
E06B 3/663
C03C 27/04
Abstract:
Materials and methods for preparing thick, mesoporous silica monolithic slabs and coatings with high transparency and low thermal conductivity are provided. The transparent silica materials are particularly suited for window or solar applications including insulation barriers for existing or new single, double pane windows or glass panel building components. The template-free, water-based sol-gel methods produce slabs or coatings by gelation of a colloidal suspension of silica or other oxide nanoparticles or by ambigel formation and then ageing and drying the gels under ambient conditions. Solvent exchanges with nonpolar, low-surface-tension solvents help to avoid cracking caused by drying stress. Mesoporous slabs can also be cast in molds on perfluorocarbon liquid substrates to reduce adhesion and enable gels to shrink freely during aging and drying without incurring significant stress that could cause fracture.