Advanced Materials · 2000 · 24 citations · 0 references
Materials ScienceNm PoresChemical EngineeringEngineeringNanoporous MaterialNanomaterialsOrganic SubstituentsSingle CrystalCeramic MaterialChemical ControlCeramics MaterialsCeramic SynthesisChemistryCeramic PowdersCeramic TechnologyMicrostructure
Control over porosity in ceramics is demonstrated here. Varying the size of the organic substituents in the precursor carboxylate–alumoxane [Al(O)x- (OH)y(O2CR)z]n nanoparticles allows the pores to be contained within the grains of the resulting α-Al2O3. The Figure shows a single crystal of α-Al2O3 in which 20–50 nm pores (white areas) run throughout the crystal.