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Lightweight Porous Glass Composite Materials Based on Capillary Suspensions
Katharina Hartung1, Carolyn Benner2, Norbert Willenbacher3
1Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Institute for Mechanical Process Engineering and Mechanics, Gotthard-Franz-Straße 3, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. katharina.hartung@kit.edu.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 23, 2019
Summary
We developed a simple method to create lightweight, porous materials from hollow glass spheres. These tailor-made materials offer high porosity and tunable properties for applications like insulation and lightweight construction.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Lightweight materials are crucial for energy efficiency and performance in various industries.
- Developing cost-effective methods for producing porous materials with controlled properties remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a straightforward method for producing lightweight, tailor-made porous materials.
- To investigate the influence of liquid content and surface treatment on material microstructure and properties.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing capillary suspensions of hollow glass spheres.
- Controlling network structure through liquid addition and particle surface modification.
- Characterizing porosity, pore size, and compressive strength.
Main Results:
- Achieved high total porosity (70%) at low apparent densities (200 kg/m³).
- Demonstrated compressive strength of 0.6 MPa.
- Identified surface-treated hollow glass spheres forming a sample-spanning network as optimal.
Conclusions:
- The developed method allows for straightforward production of lightweight porous materials.
- These materials exhibit properties comparable to balsa wood, suitable for demanding applications.
- Potential applications include insulation, filters, membranes, and lightweight components in automotive and aerospace engineering.
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