abstract |
Methods for making high-surface area, high-porosity, stable metal oxides, such as, but not limited to materials used as adsorbents and catalyst supports include (i) forming a solvent deficient precursor mixture from a metal salt and a base and reacting the metal ions and base ions in the solvent deficient precursor mixture to form an intermediate hydroxide product (e.g., metal hydroxide or metal oxide hydroxide), (ii) causing the intermediate hydroxide to form nanoparticles (e.g., by heating), and (iii) calcining the intermediate nanoparticles to sinter the nanoparticles together and yield a highly porous, stable metal oxide aggregate having a pore structure. |