Fabrication of mesoporous silica KIT-6/polymer composite and its low thermal expansion property

Here we fabricate mesoporous silica KIT-6/epoxy polymer composite as low thermal expansion material. From the specific gravity of the composites, almost all the mesopores (around 90%) are successfully filled with the epoxy polymers. The thermal mobility of the confined polymer molecules inside the mesopores is restricted by the rigid silica frameworks. Therefore, the volume expansion degree of the composites is much lower than that of epoxy polymer. Through the comparative experimental using FSM-16-type mesoporous silica with a 2 dimensional (2D) hexagonal mesostructure, it is proved that KIT-6 system with a 3D bicontinuous gyroid mesostructure more effectively contributes low thermal expansion property.