You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
RE: Making Silica Xerogell From Bagasse Ash : Part 1
What is your goal for the final product? Has your lab any experience with other gel drying techniques?
Xerogels are interesting. But by drying in a way that preserves the gel's solid structure (so not just boiling in an oven) you get something even cooler. Aerogels.
Final is silica powder, no, we dont find any technique yet about drying,, is there any idea.
Nice. To make other silica structures from gel, you have to remove the liquid phase while keeping the solid phase in place. When you make a xerogel the material shrinks and sometimes cracks as the liquid phase evaporates and the solid phase collapses. To make the Aerogel pictured, you need to use a supercritical technique to dry the hydrogel.
Cool, what is supercritical technique mean ?
Very high pressure - liquid phase that fills container like a gas. Can escape the gel
Thanks @kyle.anderson,