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Preparation of high-temperature resistant aluminum-doped silica aerogel from aluminum sol source by ambient pressure drying

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Abstract

The preparation of aluminum-doped silica aerogel (ASA) typically utilizes alumina alkoxides or inorganic aluminum salts as precursors usually hindered by high cost or precursor instability. In this study, we prepared a high-temperature resistant ASA via the sol-gel and atmospheric pressure drying (APD) method, utilizing an inexpensive aluminum sol as the aluminum source, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and basic silica sol as the composite silicon source. The effects of the Al/Si molar ratio and calcination temperature on the structure, morphology, and thermal stability of ASA were investigated. The results revealed that ASA-0.2 (with an Al/Si molar ratio of 0.2) exhibited a specific surface area of 616.3 m2/g at room temperature, whereas ASA-0 was 508.2 m2/g. After calcination at 1000 °C for 2 h, ASA-0.2 maintained a significantly higher specific surface area (290.0 m2/g) compared to ASA-0 (23.9 m2/g). Mechanism analysis indicated that adding aluminum sol not only improved the strength of the aerogel skeleton but also inhibited the phase transition of silica, effectively enhancing the high-temperature resistance of the aerogel. The utilization of inexpensive and stable aluminum sol as a precursor presents a promising approach for the industrial production of heat-resistant aerogels.

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Highlights

  • The preparation of aluminum-doped silica aerogels from aluminum sol as the aluminum source is discussed for the first time.

  • The appropriate amount of aluminum sol can increase the specific surface area and optimize the pore structure of the aluminum-doped silica aerogels.

  • The addition of aluminum sol significantly improves the high-temperature resistance of silica aerogels.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express our gratitude to the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing at Wuhan University of Technology for facilitating the tests. We are also indebted to Prof. Hongyi Jiang for his invaluable guidance throughout the research process. Additionally, our sincere thanks go to the students within our group for their continual assistance and support.

Author contributions

SG designed the experimental program, conducted the experimental investigations, and wrote the main manuscript text. TY and SL were responsible for the query of research background data. KL, ZC and WP assisted in the experimental operation. HJ guided experimental design and manuscript writing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Shuai Gao, Ting Yang, Shuning Liu, Kai Liu, Zeqi Cao, Wanjun Pang & Hongyi Jiang

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  1. Shuai Gao
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  2. Ting Yang
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  3. Shuning Liu
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Correspondence to Hongyi Jiang.

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Gao, S., Yang, T., Liu, S. et al. Preparation of high-temperature resistant aluminum-doped silica aerogel from aluminum sol source by ambient pressure drying. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 109, 162–173 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-023-06254-z

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