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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Preparation of Biopolymer Aerogels Using Green Solvents
Published on: July 4, 2016
On the Size Effect of Gelation Kinetics in RF Aerogels
1Institute of Materials Research, German Aerospace Center, DLR, 51170 Köln, Germany. lorenz.ratke@dlr.de.
Abstract:
We experimentally and theoretically investigate the size effect of gelation using Resorcinol-Formaldehyde aerogels. We find a clear dependence of gelation time on the sample size under mild shear conditions. We developed a theoretical model based on Smoluchowski's aggregation model adding, however, a growth term which accounts for the continuous growth of the colloidal particles while clustering happens. The model is solved analytically and agrees with our experimental observations for base catalyzed RF-gels.
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