PORE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY AND EFFECTIVE DIFFUSIVITY OF SILICA AEROGELS

The analysis method recently proposed by Seaton and coworkers was appl ied to determine the pore network connectivity of hyperporous solids-s ilica aerogels. The mean coordination number of the pore network of si lica aerogels was found to lie between three and eight, depending on t he pore volume of mesopores and micropores, and independent of bulk de nsity of the aerogels. Calculations of the effective diffusivities of aerogel samples clearly show that silica aerogels exhibit remarkable m ass transport properties, significantly higher than conventional silic a or alumina porous supports.