US 11,731,909 B2
Solvent management methods for gel production
George L. Gould, Mendon, MA (US); Kevin A. Schmidt, Hopkinton, MA (US); Christopher L. Marlette, Grafton, MA (US); and Shahrooz Zaghi, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by Aspen Aerogels, Inc., Northborough, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/818,150.
Application 16/818,150 is a continuation of application No. 15/262,422, filed on Sep. 12, 2016, granted, now 10,590,043.
Application 15/262,422 is a continuation of application No. 12/685,666, filed on Jan. 11, 2010, granted, now 9,476,123, issued on Oct. 25, 2016.
Application 12/685,666 is a continuation of application No. 11/421,032, filed on May 30, 2006, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/685,813, filed on May 31, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2020/0247720 A1, Aug. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. C04B 35/624 (2006.01); C23C 18/12 (2006.01); C04B 40/04 (2006.01); C04B 35/01 (2006.01); C04B 40/00 (2006.01); B29C 35/16 (2006.01); B29C 39/00 (2006.01); B05D 1/30 (2006.01); B05D 3/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); C04B 41/00 (2006.01)
CPC C04B 35/624 (2013.01) [B05D 1/30 (2013.01); B05D 3/007 (2013.01); B29C 35/16 (2013.01); B29C 39/003 (2013.01); C04B 35/01 (2013.01); C04B 40/0075 (2013.01); C04B 40/04 (2013.01); C23C 18/1208 (2013.01); C23C 18/1254 (2013.01); C23C 18/1283 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0061 (2013.01); C04B 41/0063 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacture of a gel material comprising:
(a) forming a gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0.5 mm by dispensing a gel precursor mixture at first temperature, and allowing gelation of a gel precursor of the gel precursor mixture to occur; and
(b) cooling at least one surface of the gel sheet at a second temperature with at least one cooling system, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature, wherein the cooling reduces a rate of a solvent evaporation.
 
14. A method for manufacture of a fiber-reinforced gel material comprising:
(a) forming a fiber-reinforced gel sheet with thickness of at least about 0.5 mm by combining a fibrous structure and a gel precursor mixture at a first temperature, and allowing gelation of a gel precursor of the gel precursor mixture to occur; and
(b) cooling at least one surface of the fiber-reinforced gel sheet at a second temperature with at least one cooling system, wherein the second temperature is cooler than the first temperature, and wherein the cooling reduces a rate of a solvent evaporation.