Abstract: A method of producing a polymer aerogel includes dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of 1.5 or lower, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, and removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce the polymer aerogel. A method of producing a polymer aerogel include dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce the polymer aerogel, and reducing a refractive index of one of either the gel polymer or the polymer aerogel.

Abstract: A dried polymer aerogel has a Brunauer-Emmett Teller (BET) surface area over 100 m2/g, porosity of greater than 10%, visible transparency greater than 20%, color rendering index of over 20%, and average pore size of less than 100 nm.

Abstract: A method of forming a colorimetric sensor includes depositing a first material onto a substrate, providing porous sensing particles, wherein the sensing particles comprise sensing species dispersed into a porous host structure, and embedding the porous sensing particles onto a surface of the deposited first material, the first material attaching the sensing particles to the substrate with at least a portion of the sensing particles is exposed to an ambient environment.

Abstract: A colorimetric sensor has a first material deposited on a surface, and sensing particles on a surface of the first material, wherein the sensing particles comprise sensing species dispersed into porous host structures, such that at least a portion of the sensing particles is exposed to an ambient environment, wherein the first material attaches the sensing particles to surface. A method of forming a colorimetric sensor including depositing a first material onto a substrate, providing porous sensing particles, wherein the sensing particles comprise sensing species dispersed into a porous host structure, and embedding the porous sensing particles onto a surface of the deposited first material, wherein the first material attaches the sensing particles to the substrate such that at least a portion of the sensing particles is exposed to an ambient environment.

Abstract: A method of forming a porous, polymer aerogel, includes producing a miscible formulation of at least one of monomers, oligomers, crosslinkers and prepolymers, polymerizing the miscible formulation to form a multiphasic gel, wherein phases are continuous and the multiphasic gel has at least one depolymerizable domain and at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and the at least one depolymerizable domain is chemically bonded to the at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and removing the depolymerizable domain or domains from the multiphasic gel to produce a porous aerogel with a color rendering index of at least 25.

Abstract: A method of producing a polymer aerogel includes dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of 1.5 or lower, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, and removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce the polymer aerogel. A method of producing a polymer aerogel include dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce the polymer aerogel, and reducing a refractive index of one of either the gel polymer or the polymer aerogel.

Abstract: A porous, polymer aerogel having a pore size distribution with a full-width at half maximum between 0.1 and 10 nanometers, a visible transmittance greater than 30%/3 mm, haze less than 70%/3 mm, and a color rendering index of at least 25. A method of forming a porous, polymer aerogel, includes producing a miscible formulation of at least one of monomers, oligomers, crosslinkers and prepolymers, polymerizing the miscible formulation to form a multiphasic gel, wherein phases are continuous and the multiphasic gel has at least one depolymerizable domain and at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and the at least one depolymerizable domain is chemically bonded to the at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and removing the depolymerizable domain or domains from the multiphasic gel to produce a porous aerogel with a color rendering index of at least 25.

Abstract: A polymer aerogel has polymerizable monomers and crosslinkers, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of less than 1.5, and the polymer aerogel has a visible transmittance of at least 20%/3 mm, a haze of 50%/3 mm or lower, and a porosity of at least 10%. A method of producing an aerogel includes dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of 1.5 or lower, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, and removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce an aerogel polymer.

Abstract: A dried polymer aerogel has a Brunauer-Emmett Teller (BET) surface area over 100 m2/g, porosity of greater than 10%, visible transparency greater than 20%, color rendering index of over 20%, and average pore size of less than 100 nm.

Abstract: A method to produce a polymer gel includes dissolving precursors in a solvent to form a precursor solution, the precursors including polymer precursors, a stable free radical, one or more initiating radicals, and one or more stable free radical control agents, and heating the precursor solution to a temperature of polymerization to produce a cross-linked gel. A dried polymer aerogel has a Brunauer-Emmett Teller (BET) surface area over 100 m2/g, porosity of greater than 10%, visible transparency greater than 20%, color rendering index of over 20%, and average pore size of less than 100 nm.

Abstract: A polymer aerogel has polymerizable monomers and crosslinkers, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of less than 1.5, and the polymer aerogel has a visible transmittance of at least 20%/3 mm, a haze of 50%/3 mm or lower, and a porosity of at least 10%. A method of producing an aerogel includes dissolving precursors into a solvent, wherein the precursors include monomers, crosslinkers, a controlling agent and an initiator to form a precursor solution, wherein at least one of the monomers or at least one of the crosslinkers has a refractive index of 1.5 or lower, polymerizing the precursor solution to form a gel polymer, and removing the solvent from the gel polymer to produce an aerogel polymer.

Abstract: A method to produce a polymer gel includes dissolving precursors in a solvent to form a precursor solution, the precursors including polymer precursors, a stable free radical, one or more initiating radicals, and one or more stable free radical control agents, and heating the precursor solution to a temperature of polymerization to produce a cross-linked gel. A dried polymer aerogel has a Brunauer-Emmett Teller (BET) surface area over 100 m2/g, porosity of greater than 10%, visible transparency greater than 20%, color rendering index of over 20%, and average pore size of less than 100 nm.