Influence of different solvents in the synthesis of mullite by sol-gel

Abstract

Mullite is a material that has received special attention due to its chemical, physical and mechanical proper-ties, which are correlated with the synthesis method used. The sol-gel method stands out compared to other chemical methods due to the possibility of obtaining materials with a high degree of purity and low synthesis temperatures. Thus, this work aimed to analyze the solvents water, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and tetra-hydrofuran, in obtaining mullite using the sol-gel route. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential analysis (TG/DTA), nitrogen adsorption (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (MET). The results showed that mullite was synthesized with all solvents, however, the use of alcohols as a solvent provided the obtaining of the most crystalline samples, with the lowest mass losses, with a morphology formed by aggregates and individualized particles.