Three Dimensional Structure and Liquid Transport Behavior of Siloxane Gels with Co-continuous Macropores

The geometrical properties of co-continuous macroporous silica monoliths have been studied by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and a comparison with mercury intrusion method has been made. From three-dimensional images obtained by LSCM observation, probability density distributions of curvatures have been calculated on gel skeleton surface by the “sectioning and fitting method”. Measured liquid transport behavior in macroporous siloxane gels has been related to the obtained curvature distributions.