Preparation of cellular SiBOC foams by thermo‐foaming of polymethylvinylborosiloxane–wheat flour dough

Abstract

AbstractA novel method for the preparation of SiBOC foams from a polymethylvinylborosiloxane (MVBS) solution in ethanol using wheat flour as a foam stabilizer and pore template has been reported. A dough prepared by mixing the MVBS solution and wheat flour undergoes foaming at 180°C due to the stabilization of bubbles created by ethanol vapor by the adsorption of wheat flour particles on their surface. The ceramization of the foamed body at 1500°C followed by burnout of carbon produced from the wheat flour results in SiBOC foams of hierarchical pore structure. The foam density (.68–.44 g cm−3), average cell size (1.81–.58 mm), compressive strength (3.9–1.7 MPa), and thermal conductivity (.33–.21 W m−1 K−1) decrease with an increase in wheat flour to MVBS weight ratio from .25 to 1. The population of smaller pores (∼5–50 μm) created by wheat flour particles on cell walls and struts increases with an increase in wheat flour to MVBS weight ratio. The presence of β‐SiC and turbostratic graphite nanodomains in amorphous SiBOC is evidenced by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis.