Effects of Complex Precursors on Alkoxide‐Derived Cordierite Powder

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Abstract
Preparation of chemically homogeneous cordierite powders of submicrometer size was investigated using alkoxide precursors, synthesized from Mg metal, Al(OBus)3, and partially prehydrolyzed Si(OEt)4. The amount of partial prehydrolysis water in precursor synthesis was changed to study the effects on the hydrolysis products. In the hydrolysis of the diluted solution of the precursor, product morphology was quite sensitive to the precursor, and different morphologies such as gelation, gel precipitation, and powder precipitation were observed. A redispersable powder of submicrometer size was obtained only from the precursor synthesized at a H2O/Si(OEt)4 ratio of 1.2. Differences were also observed in minor crystalline phases among calcined hydrolysis products. The alkoxide precursors were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and NMR spectroscopy. The differences in hydrolysis products are most likely due to differences in hydrolysis and condensation of different chemical species in precursors.