Macroporous glass monoliths prepared from powdered niobium phosphate glass by fast sintering

Abstract

Macroporous monoliths were prepared by very fast sintering (between 3 and 15min) of niobophosphate glass powders at low temperature (1018K) using cellulose as a foaming agent. The porous materials were analyzed by thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction, and further investigated using X-ray microtomography, a non-destructive technique capable of reconstructing three-dimensional models of samples and providing structural measurements. The progression of the porosity of the monoliths depends on the sintering time (3 to 15min) and the amount (up to 50% in mass) of cellulose used. The macroporous glass monoliths may find application in integrated chemical systems and in filtering processes.