Multifunctional Silica Optics
- 1 January 1989
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in MRS Proceedings
Abstract
The sol-gel chemical processing method of producing fully dense silica optics provides an intermediate product termed Type VI silica ideally suited for use in engineering multifunctional silica optics. This paper reviews the sol-gel process, the Type V dense gel-silica produced by this process and the Type VI ultraporous gel-silica intermediate product. Included is a comparison of two different porous ultrastructures with 1.2 nm and 8.0 nm average pore radii. Two uses of the porous gel-silica components as multifunctional optics are described. The first is for use in transpiration cooled windows in highspeed rocket guidance systems. Flow rates of He and N2 through the 1.2 nm and 8.0 nm ultrastructures are as high as 0.9 m/min at 0.75 MPa. High temperature UV transmission in contact with an impinging oxy-acetylene flame is demonstrated. Use of Type VI gel-silica as a host matrix for fast radiationhard scintillating detectors is also reviewed.Keywords
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