Low-Density Open Cellular Sponges as Functional Materials

Shaohua Jiang; Seema Agarwal; Andreas Greiner

doi:10.1002/anie.201700684

Low-Density Open Cellular Sponges as Functional Materials

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2017 Dec 4;56(49):15520-15538. doi: 10.1002/anie.201700684. Epub 2017 Nov 10.

Authors

Shaohua Jiang^{1

2}, Seema Agarwal¹, Andreas Greiner¹

Affiliations

¹ Macromolecular Chemistry II, Department of Chemistry, Bavarian Polymer Institute, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
² College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.

PMID: 28621026
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201700684

Abstract

Low-density macroporous sponges with densities less than 100 mg cm^-3 are both a challenge and an opportunity for advanced chemistry and material science. The challenge lies in the precise preparation of the sponges with property combinations that lead to novel applications. Bottom-up and top-down chemical and engineering methods for the preparation of sponges are a major focus of this Review, with an emphasis on carbon and polymer materials. The light weight, sustainability, breathability, special wetting characteristics, large mass transfer, mechanical stability, and large pore volume are typical characteristics of sponges made of advanced materials and could lead to novel applications. Some selected sponge properties and potential applications are discussed.

Keywords: aerogels; foams; functional materials; materials science; sponges.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't