Fabrication of bimodal (meso/macro) porous alumina materials using yeast cells as templates

Abstract

Bimodal (meso/macro) porous alumina materials were synthesized using yeast cells as bio-templates. Aluminium isopropoxide (AIP) modified with triethanolamine (TEA) was first hydrolyzed by water containing the dispersed yeast cells. This resulted in the formation of slurry consisting of hydrolyzed sol and yeast cells. After centrifuging the solution, the obtained cake which is packed with hydrated sol and yeast cells was subjected to heat treatment. The sample after heat treatment contained finely dispersed bimodal (meso/ macro) pores ranging in size from 1.5 to 2.0 μm and several nm. Under the present experimental conditions, the thickness of alumina wall was also controlled by changing the ratio of yeast cells to AIP. It was also observed that with an increase in the thickness of the wall, the size of the pores decreased. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2005.405]