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

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.