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Preparation and Characterization of Macroporous α‐Alumina
Author(s) -
Sokolov Sergey,
Bell David,
Stein Andreas
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.2003.tb03500.x
Subject(s) - calcination , chemical engineering , materials science , ammonium hydroxide , macropore , polymer , colloid , transmission electron microscopy , hydroxide , filtration (mathematics) , characterization (materials science) , corundum , thermal stability , molecular sieve , catalysis , nanotechnology , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , mesoporous material , statistics , mathematics , engineering
α‐Al 2 O 3 powders with three‐dimensionally ordered or randomly positioned macropores were synthesized by templating with poly(methyl methacrylate) colloidal crystals. Aluminum nitrate was precipitated with ammonium hydroxide within the interstices of the template; calcination removed the polymer and converted the inorganic precursors into a macroporous skeleton of α‐Al 2 O 3 . Subsequent calcination at higher temperatures and hot stage transmission electron microscopy experiments were performed to study sintering effects on the product morphology. These materials combine the thermal and chemical stability of corundum with a very open structure of uniform macropores that can permit facile transport of guest molecules in potential catalysis, filtration, and sensing applications.