The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels
A cost-effective solution for the synthesis of high-porosity TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogels, which can be used as a mesoporous perovskite network charge-carrier material during the manufacture of solar cells, is described. The effects of the synthesis parameters (precursor (titanium (IV) isopr...
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| author | Jolanta Donėlienė Eglė Fataraitė-Urbonienė Nina Danchova Stoyan Gutzov Juras Ulbikas |
| author_facet | Jolanta Donėlienė Eglė Fataraitė-Urbonienė Nina Danchova Stoyan Gutzov Juras Ulbikas |
| author_sort | Jolanta Donėlienė |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A cost-effective solution for the synthesis of high-porosity TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogels, which can be used as a mesoporous perovskite network charge-carrier material during the manufacture of solar cells, is described. The effects of the synthesis parameters (precursor (titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP) and tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT)), additional solvent exchange (n-hexane (nH), cyclohexane (CH), and diethyl ether (DE)), subcritical drying (800 mbar vacuum, 70 °C, 8 h), aging, and calcination on the aerogel’s structure have been investigated. Methods of XRD, FT-IR, BET, Raman, STA, SEM, UV–vis, and thermal conductivity measurements were applied to find out the relation between the synthesis conditions and the properties of the synthesized aerogels. Amorphous aerogels are polydispersed systems with the highest probability of pore diameter from 0.5 to 15 nm. An nH-exchanged, aged aerogel synthesized from the precursor TIP shows the highest diameter of pores. After calcination, the aerogels tend to crystallize into an anatase phase and the size of the crystallites depends on the precursor’s nature. Calcination leads to a significant increase in both the apparent and true density of the aerogels, and it also results in an increase in porosity and thermal conductivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:23:29Z |
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| id | doaj.art-623d7e635ba546dda8b0c1260519dc32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:23:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-623d7e635ba546dda8b0c1260519dc322023-12-03T15:05:12ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612022-07-018742210.3390/gels8070422The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> AerogelsJolanta Donėlienė0Eglė Fataraitė-Urbonienė1Nina Danchova2Stoyan Gutzov3Juras Ulbikas4Applied Research Institute for Prospective Technologies, Vismaliuku Str. 34, LT 10243 Vilnius, LithuaniaApplied Research Institute for Prospective Technologies, Vismaliuku Str. 34, LT 10243 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, J. Bourchier Blvd. 1, 1164 Sofia, BulgariaDepartment of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, J. Bourchier Blvd. 1, 1164 Sofia, BulgariaApplied Research Institute for Prospective Technologies, Vismaliuku Str. 34, LT 10243 Vilnius, LithuaniaA cost-effective solution for the synthesis of high-porosity TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogels, which can be used as a mesoporous perovskite network charge-carrier material during the manufacture of solar cells, is described. The effects of the synthesis parameters (precursor (titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP) and tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT)), additional solvent exchange (n-hexane (nH), cyclohexane (CH), and diethyl ether (DE)), subcritical drying (800 mbar vacuum, 70 °C, 8 h), aging, and calcination on the aerogel’s structure have been investigated. Methods of XRD, FT-IR, BET, Raman, STA, SEM, UV–vis, and thermal conductivity measurements were applied to find out the relation between the synthesis conditions and the properties of the synthesized aerogels. Amorphous aerogels are polydispersed systems with the highest probability of pore diameter from 0.5 to 15 nm. An nH-exchanged, aged aerogel synthesized from the precursor TIP shows the highest diameter of pores. After calcination, the aerogels tend to crystallize into an anatase phase and the size of the crystallites depends on the precursor’s nature. Calcination leads to a significant increase in both the apparent and true density of the aerogels, and it also results in an increase in porosity and thermal conductivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/7/422TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogelsol–gel synthesissolvent exchangeageingsubcritical dryingthermal conductivity |
| spellingShingle | Jolanta Donėlienė Eglė Fataraitė-Urbonienė Nina Danchova Stoyan Gutzov Juras Ulbikas The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels Gels TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogel sol–gel synthesis solvent exchange ageing subcritical drying thermal conductivity |
| title | The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels |
| title_full | The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels |
| title_short | The Influence of the Precursor’s Nature and Drying Conditions on the Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> Aerogels |
| title_sort | influence of the precursor s nature and drying conditions on the structure morphology and thermal properties of tio sub 2 sub aerogels |
| topic | TiO<sub>2</sub> aerogel sol–gel synthesis solvent exchange ageing subcritical drying thermal conductivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/7/422 |
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