Porous organic-inorganic hybrid aerogels based on bridging acetylacetonate

Organic-inorganic hybrid aerogels are receiving growing attention due to their high tuneability. In this contribution a novel type of organic-inorganic hybrid aerogels with high micro- and mesoporosity have been prepared successfully from a bridging bis(acetylacetonate) ligand, 3,4-diacetyl-2,5-dioxohexane, and trivalent metal ions (Al3+ and Cr3+). The metal-acetylacetonate aerogels compose of nanoscale metal-organic particles, which aggregate to form the gel matrix. N-2 sorption shows that the aerogels have high BET surface areas up to similar to 1100 m(2) g(-1) and hierarchical porosity. The porosity can be altered by introducing of second divalent metal ions into the aerogel. The aerogels show ability to adsorb various gases (H-2, CO2 and CH4) and vapors (MeOH and EtOH). Water sorption measurements reveal that the aerogels have relatively hydrophobic pore surface. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.