Ultra-light airgel nano-silver is expected to promote the development of energy and electronics industries

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have developed a product called \”ultra-nano-silver Aerogels \” new low density foam metal, a minimum of only 4 times the density of air, has excellent mechanical and electrical properties, the development of electronic materials is expected to drive, energy storage, catalyst supports, fuel cells, sensors and medical equipment industry progress. Metal foam (also known as the porous metal) with a light weight, high surface area, high conductivity, low thermal conductivity of the new material, which can effectively improve the characteristics of excellent product performance. Conditions required using conventional methods for producing metal foam is very demanding, the need for high temperature and high pressure environment, sometimes need to cut off oxygen, is not conducive to mass production, thus limiting their broader applications. The new \”nano silver lightweight airgel\” is formed by use of aerogels as a raw material of nano silver way of production, avoids these severe constraints. In addition, this silver aerogels also have better mechanical properties and electrical conductivity and density can be adjusted, controlled pore structure and other advantages, make it more attractive for practical applications. This new method is made ultralight conductive silver nano silver combined airgel, prepared by nano-silver polyol synthesis and selective precipitation purification method. And then heat sintered to form a connected airgel by condensation aqueous suspension of nano silver. Use silver airgel prepared in this manner has a unique anisotropic microporous structure, the conductivity of 51000S / m, the density of airgel can be precisely controlled by the concentration of silver nano-aqueous suspension as low as 4.8mg / cc, and may be formed in various shapes. In addition, mechanics studies have shown that nano-silver airgel \”flexible strength\” modulus of up to 16800Pa. This ultra-light airgel successfully developed silver from raw materials mainly due to the ability to customize the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in addition to customized such high-quality nano-silver, but also the ability to customize this material so that it can be based on preparation of the various different requirements of high index material to meet the application requirements. Such high porosity aerogels new nano silver and excellent in mechanical / electrical properties expected in the field of fuel cells, energy storage, medical, catalysts, sensors, etc. to obtain a wider range of applications.