Advanced fabrication and multi-properties of aluminium hydroxide aerogels from aluminium wastes

Over 60 million tons of aluminium are produced annually, requiring sustainable and eco-friendly recycling methods of aluminium waste. In this work, aluminium metal waste is utilized in the fabrication of aluminium hydroxide aerogels using a cost-effective and environmental-friendly process. The developed aerogels with varying contents of aluminium and poly(vinyl alcohol) as a binder exhibit a low density (0.060-0.108 g/cm(3)), a high porosity (92.3-95.5%) and a low electrical conductivity ([1.8-5.2] x 10(-8) S/m). The results indicated that aluminium hydroxide aerogels have an ultra-low thermal conductivity of 0.028-0.032 W/m K and are able to withstand high temperature of 800 degrees C with less than 50% decomposition. It is suggested that the synthesized aerogels can be a promising candidate for high-value engineering applications such as thermal insulation of pipes and buildings to expand the usage of recycled aluminium.

Automated summary

By converting aluminium metal waste into aluminium hydroxide aerogels, a new environmentally friendly material with low density, high porosity, and high thermal performance has been developed for high-value engineering applications.