US EPA

1972928 

Journal Article 

Synthesis of a novel porous material comprising carbon/alumina composite aerogels monoliths with high compressive strength 

Zhong, Ya; Kong, Y; Shen, X; Cui, S; Yi, X; Zhang, J 

2013 

1 

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials
ISSN: 1387-1811 

172 

182-189 

10.1016/j.micromeso.2013.01.021 

WOS:000316923900026 

Resorcinol-formaldehyde/alumina composite (RF/Al2O3) gels were initially prepared by using sol-gel techniques, and then dried to aerogels with supercritical fluid CO2. After thermal treatment in argon atmosphere, RF/Al2O3 aerogels were successfully converted to monolithic carbon/alumina composite (C/Al2O3) aerogels. The samples were characterized by BET, SEM, TEM and XRD, and the compressive strengths were measured. The experimental results showed that the C/Al2O3 aerogels exhibited an interpenetrating framework with high mesoporosity. The as-synthesized C/Al2O3 aerogels consisted of spherical carbon particles and alumina (fibrous or columnar), which had high BET surface area (576-831 m(2)/g) and showed high compressive strength (5.4-9.1 MPa) and Young's modulus (286.95-476.71 MPa). These novel C/Al2O3 aerogels could possibly be used as thermal isolates, catalysts and adsorbents. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 

Resorcinol-formaldehyde; Aerogels; Supercritical fluid CO2; Thermal treatment; Compressive strength