Abstract: High surface area electrodes formed using sol-gel derived monoliths as electrode substrates or electrode templates, and methods for making high surface area electrodes are described. The high surface area electrodes may have tunable pore sizes and well-controlled pore size distributions. The high surface area electrodes may be used as electrodes in a variety of energy storage devices and systems such as capacitors, electric double layer capacitors, batteries, and fuel cells.

Abstract: High surface area energy chips that can be used to make high surface area electrodes and methods for making high surface area energy chips are described. The energy chips comprise a monolithic conductive material comprising an open network of pores having an average pore diameter between about 0.3 nm and 30 nm. The conductive material forms a thin chip having a thickness of about 300 microns or less, and the thickness across different portions of the chip varies by less than 10% of the thickness. The high surface area energy chips may be used as electrodes in a variety of energy storage devices and systems such as capacitors, electric double layer capacitors, batteries, and fuel cells.

Abstract: A mold for casting sol-gel wafers is provided. The mold may be formed of multiple low-friction layers, for example, layers made of polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., Teflon™). The layers may alternate between solid layers and well layers, with a gel formulation placed in wells of each well layer. A force may be applied to the layers during the gelling process to produce a solid, but wet and porous gel in the shape of the wells of the mold. The gel may be further processed to produce sol-gel derived monoliths having desired surface characteristics.

Abstract: Nanoporous sol-gel derived monoliths and methods for making nanoporous sol-gel derived monoliths are provided. The methods enable fine control over pore size and pore size distribution, e.g., so that pore sizes can be predetermined and precisely tuned over a range from 0.3 nm to about 30 nm, or over a range from about 0.3 nm to about 10 nm. The monoliths may be derived from any suitable sol-gel, but in some instances they are derived from silica sol-gels. The sol-gel derived monoliths with finely tunable pore sizes and narrow pore size distributions may be used for a variety of applications, e.g., as substrates or templates for high surface area electrodes, as substrates for high surface area sensor, or as a component in a filtration apparatus.

Abstract: Nanoporous sol-gel derived monoliths and methods for making nanoporous sol-gel derived monoliths are provided. The methods enable fine control over pore size and pore size distribution, e.g., so that pore sizes can be predetermined and precisely tuned over a range from 0.3 nm to about 30 nm, or over a range from about 0.3 nm to about 10 nm. The monoliths may be derived from any suitable sol-gel, but in some instances they are derived from silica sol-gels. The sol-gel derived monoliths with finely tunable pore sizes and narrow pore size distributions may be used for a variety of applications, e.g., as substrates or templates for high surface area electrodes, as substrates for high surface area sensor, or as a component in a filtration apparatus.