Synthesis monolithic copper-based aerogel with polyacrylic acid as template

Abstract

Copper-based monolithic aerogel was prepared by sol–gel method with inorganic salt as precursor, the polyacrylic acid as template and the propylene oxide as gelation agent. The as-prepared aerogel was calcined at 400 °C to remove the organic substances and obtain crystalline copper-oxide nanostructured materials (tenorite, JCPDS File No. 00-045-0937). The aerogels’ structural properties were characterized by the field emission scanning electron microscopy, the high resolution transmission electron microscopy, the X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller methods. The results indicate that the as-prepared copper-based aerogel shows a typical three-dimensional porous structure with a large surface areas about 587 m2/g. The XRD patterns show that the as-prepared copper-based aerogel belongs to amorphous materials. The phase transition from the amorphous to crystalline copper oxide occurs at 400 °C.