Sol-gel synthesis and structure of cordierite/tialite glass-ceramics

Abstract

In the present work the results of the research on the sol-gel synthesis and structure of cordierite (2MgO?2Al2O3?5SiO2), tialite (Al2O3?TiO2) and cordierite/tialite glass-ceramics as well cordierite containing 2 wt.% of Co and Co+Cu have been described and discussed. The sol-gel synthesis was carried out using different kind of precursors as follows: Al(NO3)?9H2O, Si(OC2H5)4, Ti(OC4H9)4, Mg(NO3)2?6H2O, chlorides or nitrates of corresponding metals, H2O, C2H5OH, Aqua Regia, NH4F and PEG. The synthesized gels were dried and thermally treated in the temperature range from 800?C to 1200?C. The sol-gel processes and structure of the cordierite, tialite and cordierite/tialite glass-ceramics have been investigated by means of XRD, FTIR, TEM, SEM and EPMA. .