CHEMISTRY AND MATERIAL SCIENCE

Epoxide-mediated synthesis of germania aerogels in acetic acid

O. M. Gaytko, S. V. Golodukhina, S. Yu. Kottsov, A. G. Son, T. O. Kozlova, A. Y. Baranchikov

Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Abstract: A novel alkoxide-free method for the sol-gel synthesis of germania aerogels is proposed. The method is based on the hydrolysis of GeCl$_4$ by propylene oxide in concentrated acetic acid which is used as a solvent. The proposed protocol allows one to obtain monolithic amorphous germania aerogels constructed of a three-dimensional network of nanoscale ($\sim$ 20 nm) particles and possessing specific surface area of about 80 m$^2$/g. The addition of hydrochloric acid to the reaction mixture results in the synthesis of nanocrystalline GeO$_2$ (hexagonal system) aerogels. The synthesized materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and low temperature nitrogen adsorption.

Keywords: sol-gel synthesis, germanium dioxide, propylene oxide, supercritical drying.

Received: 24.01.2025
Revised: 28.03.2025
Accepted: 05.05.2025

Language: English

DOI: 10.17586/2220-8054-2025-16-3-343-351

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