Abstract: A low-density gel product of the present disclosure has a skeleton containing a polysiloxane chain and an organic polymer chain. In the skeleton, the polysiloxane chain and the organic polymer chain are bonded to each other by covalent bonds at a plurality of positions on both of the chains with silicon atoms of the polysiloxane chain as bonding points. The organic polymer chain may be an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The polysiloxane chain may be a polyorganosiloxane chain. The low-density gel product of the present disclosure is a novel low-density gel product with improved mechanical properties including bending flexibility.

Abstract: A low-density gel product of the present disclosure has a skeleton containing a polysiloxane chain and an organic polymer chain. In the skeleton, the polysiloxane chain and the organic polymer chain are bonded to each other by covalent bonds at a plurality of positions on both of the chains with silicon atoms of the polysiloxane chain as bonding points. The organic polymer chain may be an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The polysiloxane chain may be a polyorganosiloxane chain. The low-density gel product of the present disclosure is a novel low-density gel product with improved mechanical properties including bending flexibility.

Abstract: The method for producing a surface-modified base material according to the present invention includes a step of bringing a base material having a polar group present on a surface thereof into contact with a hydrosilane compound having a molecular structure A and having a Si—H group composed of a silicon atom of the molecular structure A and a hydrogen atom bonded to the silicon atom in the presence of a borane catalyst so as to allow a dehydrocondensation reaction to take place between the base material and the compound, thereby forming the base material surface-modified with the molecular structure A. This production method is capable of surface-modifying a base material at a lower temperature in a shorter time than conventional methods and allows a wide variety of options for the form, type, and application of the base material, the mode of the modification reaction, and the type of the molecular structure with which the base material is surface-modified.

Abstract: A low-density gel product of the present disclosure has a coating layer on a surface thereof, the coating layer being composed of a polymer of a gas-phase polymerizable monomer. The low-density gel product of the present disclosure has an improved mechanical strength. The low-density gel product is, for example, an aerogel or xerogel. The low-density gel product can be, for example, in the form of a monolithic body such as a sheet or in the form of particles. The gas-phase polymerizable monomer is, for example, at least one selected from an olefin, styrene, a styrene derivative, (meth)acrylic acid, a (meth)acrylic acid ester, para-xylylene, and a para-xylylene derivative.

Abstract: The method for producing a surface-modified base material according to the present invention includes a step of bringing a base material having a polar group present on a surface thereof into contact with a hydrosilane compound having a molecular structure A and having a Si—H group composed of a silicon atom of the molecular structure A and a hydrogen atom bonded to the silicon atom in the presence of a borane catalyst so as to allow a dehydrocondensation reaction to take place between the base material and the compound, thereby forming the base material surface-modified with the molecular structure A. This production method is capable of surface-modifying a base material at a lower temperature in a shorter time than conventional methods and allows a wide variety of options for the form, type, and application of the base material, the mode of the modification reaction, and the type of the molecular structure with which the base material is surface-modified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a monolithic silicone in the form of an aerogel or a xerogel having flexibility and capable of dissolving molecules of a substance. This silicone monolithic body having continuous through passages is synthesized by copolymerizing starting materials of both a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane or tri- or higher functional alkoxysilanes through a sol-gel reaction for forming a Si—O network while causing phase separation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a monolithic silicone in the form of an aerogel or a xerogel having flexibility and capable of dissolving molecules of a substance. This silicone monolithic body having continuous through passages is synthesized by copolymerizing starting materials of both a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane or tri- or higher functional alkoxysilanes through a sol-gel reaction for forming a Si—O network while causing phase separation.

Abstract: An organic porous material is provided being excellent in mechanical properties such as strength and in which structures of a skeleton and pores are controlled more precisely.

Abstract: A method for producing an alkylsiloxane aerogel of the invention includes (a) a step of letting a reaction to produce a sol and a reaction to convert the sol to a gel take place in one step by adding a silicon compound whose molecules have a hydrolysable functional group and a nonhydrolysable functional group to an acidic aqueous solution containing a surfactant, and (b) a step of drying the gel produced in the step (a). In the step (b), the gel is dried at a temperature and a pressure below the critical point of a solvent used to dry the gel.

Abstract: Silica aerogels that are controlled in pore diameter and pore diameter distribution can be produced as follows: a surfactant is dissolved in an acidic aqueous solution; a silicon compound having a hydrolysable functional group and a hydrophobic functional group is added thereto, so that a hydrolysis reaction is carried out to yield a gel; and after the gel is solidified, the gel is dried supercritically. Preferably, the surfactant is one selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, and an anionic surfactant, or a mixture of at least two of them. The silica aerogels produced as described above are usable for heat insulators for solar-heat collector panels or heat-insulating window materials for housing.

Abstract: The porous substrate, comprises: three-dimensional-network skeletal solid phase inside the substrate, and a skin layer same in quality as the skeletal solid phase formed on at least one surface of the substrate, and a production method thereof, comprising: forming a wet gel having a three-dimensional-network skeletal solid phase and a fluid phase rich in solvent that are separated from each other in a space between a pair of flat plates by sol-gel reaction, removing the solvent in the wet gel by drying, and removing at least one flat plate of the pair of flat plates.