Macroporous Silicone Sheets Integrated with Meshes for Various Applications

Flexible macroporous silicone gels were prepared using methyltrimethoxysilane and dimethyldimethoxysilane as coprecursors via a two-step reaction catalyzed by acetic acid and ammonia solution. A sheet-shaped material was integrated with the gel by immersing the mesh in the sol during the reaction. The mesh reinforced sheet having a thickness of several millimeters was resistant to bending and pulling and easy to handle, though the physical properties such as hydrophobicity and oleophilicity possessed by the bulk surface were not lost. The composite sheets are used for various applications such as water–oil separation, manipulation of water droplets by adsorption on hydrophobic surfaces, and preparation of giant vesicle dispersions by taking advantage of surface properties and porosity.