abstract
Cork templates were used to produce lightweight bulk biomimetic ecoceramic (environmentally conscious ceramic) monoliths. Bulk/monolithic ceramics are vital for many applications, i.e. energy materials and fuel cells. Using simple and flexible, aqueous green-chemistry procedures, for the first time the influence of infiltration regime, number of infiltration cycles and sintering temperature on ecoceramic density and microstructure was studied. This lightweight three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) CeO2 preserved the hexagonal cellular structure of cork, but unlike the wood, the rear cell walls were open, greatly increasing open porosity. Higher sintering temperatures (1600 instead of 1000 degrees C) were required to produce cm size monolithic ecoceramics mechanically strong enough to be handled. The infiltration regime and number of infiltration cycles affected density and porosity. Lower infiltration pressure led to higher porosity ecoceramics (3.3-5.7%), which may favour catalytic performance, showing the possibility of tailoring porosity and specific surface area by modifying the number of infiltration cycles.
keywords
WOOD; CERAMICS; OXIDE; TEMPERATURE; BEHAVIOR; WASTE; CEO2
subject category
Materials Science
authors
Novais, RM; Pullar, RC
our authors
Rob Pullar
Collaborator
Rui Miguel Novais
Assistant Professoracknowledgements
R.C. Pullar wishes to thank FCT grant IF/00681/2015 for supporting this work, and R.M. Novais wishes to thank FCT project H2CORK (PTDC/CTM-ENE/6762/2014). The authors acknowledge Amorim Cork Composites for providing the cork samples. This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007679 (FCT Ref. UID/CTM/50011/2013), financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC and when appropriate co-financed by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement.