AEROGEL PROCESSING OF CERAMIC COMPOSITE MEMBRANES

BIOREGENERATIVE PROCESSES STRESS MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS, INCREASING THE NEED FOR A VIABLE CERAMIC MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY. SOL-GEL DERIVED MEMBRANES THAT ARE PROCESSED BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION (AEROGEL) TECHNIQUES OFFER THE POTENTIAL OF NET-SHAPED, LOW-COST FABRICATION, WITH PRECISE CONTROL OF MEMBRANE PORE STRUCTURES. COMBINED WITH CERAMIC FIBER REINFORCEMENT, THE AEROGEL CERAMIC PROCESS PERMITS THE FABRICATION OF TOUGH, LOW-COST, HIGH-PERFORMANCE, STRUCTURAL-MEMBRANE-MATERIAL SYSTEMS. THE FEASIBILITY OF USING SOL-GEL/AEROGEL PROCESSESTO FABRICATE CERAMIC-COMPOSITE MEMBRANES, WITH CONTROLLED PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION, WILL BE DEMONSTRATED. THIS WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGYWITH HIGH-PERFORMANCE, ULTRA-FILTRATION CAPABILITY. SILICON NITRIDE-REINFORCED MULLITE WILL BE USED AS A MODEL MATERIAL SYSTEM. MEMBRANE DISKS WILL BE AEROGEL PROCESSED, AND CHEMICALLY AGED AND INFILTRATED TO CONTROL MEMBRANE PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION. CHARACTERIZATION WILL INCLUDE THERMAL STABILITY, MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION, AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES. BIOREGENERATIVE PROCESSES STRESS MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS, INCREASING THE NEED FOR A VIABLE CERAMIC MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY. SOL-GEL DERIVED MEMBRANES THAT ARE PROCESSED BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION (AEROGEL) TECHNIQUES OFFER THE POTENTIAL OF NET-SHAPED, LOW-COST FABRICATION, WITH PRECISE CONTROL OF MEMBRANE PORE STRUCTURES. COMBINED WITH CERAMIC FIBER REINFORCEMENT, THE AEROGEL CERAMIC PROCESS PERMITS THE FABRICATION OF TOUGH, LOW-COST, HIGH-PERFORMANCE, STRUCTURAL-MEMBRANE-MATERIAL SYSTEMS. THE FEASIBILITY OF USING SOL-GEL/AEROGEL PROCESSESTO FABRICATE CERAMIC-COMPOSITE MEMBRANES, WITH CONTROLLED PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION, WILL BE DEMONSTRATED. THIS WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGYWITH HIGH-PERFORMANCE, ULTRA-FILTRATION CAPABILITY. SILICON NITRIDE-REINFORCED MULLITE WILL BE USED AS A MODEL MATERIAL SYSTEM. MEMBRANE DISKS WILL BE AEROGEL PROCESSED, AND CHEMICALLY AGED AND INFILTRATED TO CONTROL MEMBRANE PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION. CHARACTERIZATION WILL INCLUDE THERMAL STABILITY, MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, PORE SIZE AND PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION, AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES.