Structure-property relationships in porous 3D nanostructures: epoxy-cross-linked silica aerogels produced using ethanol as the solvent.

Cross-linking silica aerogels with organic groups has been shown to improve the strength over un-cross-linked aerogels by as much as 2 orders of magnitude. Previous cross-linking chemistry has been developed using solvents specifically chosen to dissolve the monomers and accommodate the reaction temperature. Because the process of making the aerogels requires so much solvent, it is of interest to consider less toxic solvents such as ethanol to increase safety and enhance scale up.