Aerogel-To-Sol-To-Aerogel (ASA) Process for Recycling, Repairing, Reprogramming of High Performance Organic Aerogels

With rising energy demands and costs, the significance of thermally insulating
materials is on a constant upward trajectory. While they offer impressive
performance, their sustainability is increasingly becoming an essential design
feature. The study thus develops an unprecedented strategy that enables
recycling, repairing, and reprogramming of superinsulating polyimine
aerogels. The principle at play involves the decomposition of polyimine
aerogels into a solution of oligomers through transimination reactions with
additional amines. This solution can be utilized to create new aerogels with
virtually identical properties to the original ones. This aerogel-to-sol-to-aerogel
(ASA) process is also applicable to mixed waste streams and damaged
aerogels. Moreover, this method allows to alter the aerogel properties
post-synthetically through careful selection of amines. Since the ASA process
is highly reproducible and selective, omits purification steps, and conserves
100% of the initially embedded chemical resources, it presents an innovative
tool for the sustainable management of superinsulating aerogels.