TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Scalable Porous Silica Materials for Separation, Filtration, and Catalysis

A patented manufacturing process for producing porous silica materials with interconnected pore networks.

Manufacturers use porous silica materials in products ranging from chromatography columns and filters to catalyst supports and insulation. However, producing these materials with consistent internal structures can be expensive and difficult to scale.
Los Alamos researchers developed a patented process that converts silicone foam into porous silica while preserving its internal pore network. The approach uses common materials and conventional molding techniques, offering a scalable and potentially lower-cost route to high-performance porous silica materials.

Many applications rely on porous materials that contain large internal surface areas and pathways for liquids and gases to flow. Silica is particularly attractive because it is chemically stable, heat resistant, and already widely used in separation, filtration, and catalytic processes.

While porous silica is not new, manufacturing large or complex porous silica components can require specialized fabrication methods that are difficult to scale or expensive to implement.

Los Alamos researchers addressed this challenge by developing a process that begins with a silicone foam and converts it into porous silica through a controlled heating process. Because the material can be molded before conversion, manufacturers can produce porous silica components in a variety of sizes and shapes while maintaining the internal pore structure needed for many industrial applications.

Advantages
• Simple manufacturing process using readily available materials
• Produces porous silica parts in a wide range of sizes and shapes
• Preserves internal pore networks during conversion from silicone to silica
• Compatible with existing molding and manufacturing approaches
• Suitable for high-temperature applications
• Potentially lower production costs than more complex porous silica fabrication methods
• Supports applications in...