Solution combustion synthesis using furfuryl alcohol as fuel and a combustible solvent

Abstract

An alternative solution combustion synthesis (SCS) approach is proposed using furfuryl alcohol (FA) with a dual role of fuel and solvent. Advantages of this SCS-FA include a low ignition temperature, high exothermicity, and avoiding the need of water evaporation costing energy and time. Porous nanostructures of CeO2, CuO, and CuO–CeO2 have been synthesised with this approach. The properties of SCS-FA products are equivalent to, or better than, the corresponding products synthesised using glycine as a fuel with water as the solvent.