Process for Preparing Aerogels from Polyamides

Abstract

Polyamide aerogels and methods of making the same are discussed. One example method can include the act of creating a mixture of at least one diamine with at least one diacid chloride in a first solvent. The mixture can comprise a plurality of amine capped polyamide oligomers. Such a method can also include the acts of adding a cross-linking agent to the mixture to create a gel and performing one or more solvent exchanges to remove the first solvent. Additionally, such a method can include the act of subjecting the gel to supercritical drying to polyamide aerogel.