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U.S. Department of Energy
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Mechanical behavior of PMMA-impregnated silica gels. Technical report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5763459
Silica xerogels were prepared from tetraethylorthosilicate with 50 vol.% open porosity. Methyl methacrylate monomer has been introduced into xerogel monoliths and polymerized with ultraviolet radiation. The fully infiltrated silica gel - PMMA composite has a bulk density of about 1.6 g/cm cubed. The resulting composite is lightweight and optically transparent. Elastic constants have been determined with ultrasonics. Flexure strengths have been measured in 4-point bending. The flexure strength of the composite is over 100 MPa in comparison to 20 MPa for the silica xerogel. The composite is designed for use at or below room temperature.
Research Organization:
Rutgers--the State Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (USA). Dept. of Ceramics
OSTI ID:
5763459
Report Number(s):
AD-A-205975/6/XAB; TR-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English