EN
Nanostructured hybrid materials containing Al2O3 were synthesized via a sol-gel method through hydrolysis and co-condensation reactions using trimethylsilyl isocyanate (TMSI) as a new silica source in the presence of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and three different quantities (10, 20 and 30 wt.%) of aluminum sec-butoxide (Al(OBusec)3 as a modifying agent. The xerogel nanostructured materials are pyrolyzed in nitrogen atmosphere in the temperature range from 400°C to 1100°C. The transformation of the xerogel hybrid networks into Al-Si oxycarbonitride materials has been investigated by XRD, FTIR, SEM, AFM, and 29Si MAS-NMR. To the best of our knowledge, the work reported here is the first synthesis of porous di-urethanesils modified with aluminum and one of the few examples of alumosilica oxycarbonitride materials [...]