High-surface-area oxides obtained by an activated carbon route

High-surface-area materials of various different compositions can be synthesized by a route involving impregnation of activated carbons with concentrated metal salt solutions and subsequent calcination to burn off the carbon material. This route allows the synthesis of a wide variety of different metal oxides, either as defined phases, if suitably chosen amounts of precursor salts are used, or as amorphous or partially crystalline multinary mixed-metal oxides. Typically, surface areas in the range between 50 and 200 m(2)/g are accessible, and in addition to crystalline binary oxides, several high-surface-area spinels and perovskites can also be prepared.