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Synthesis of transparent silica aerogels using tetraalkylammonium fluoride catalysts

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Abstract

Tetraalkylammonium fluoride salts have been employed as catalysts for the synthesis of silica aerogels by a two-step, sol–gel method. Aerogel materials were characterized by N2 physisorption and SEM. The effect of the type of catalyst on the optical transparency of obtained aerogels has been examined. It has been found that such compounds allow the synthesis of silica aerogels with the highest optical transmittance ever reported for such materials. The optimal catalysts are tetrabutyl and tetraoctyl ammonium fluoride, with which aerogels with transparency as high as 96% and extinction coefficient as low as 3.5 m−1 can be prepared.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support of the PENED-03/ED-952 project is gratefully acknowledged. PENED-01/ED-952 project is co-funded: 75% of public financing from the European Union—European Social Fund and 25% of public financing from the Greek State—Ministry of Development—GSRT in the framework of the Operational Program “Competitiveness”, Measure 8.3—Community Support Framework 2000–2006.

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Correspondence to Theophilos Ioannides.

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Economopoulos, E., Ioannides, T. Synthesis of transparent silica aerogels using tetraalkylammonium fluoride catalysts. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 49, 347–354 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-008-1878-x

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