PROCESSABLE ALUMINOSILICATE ALKOXIDE PRECURSORS FROM METAL-OXIDES ANDHYDROXIDES - THE OXIDE ONE-POT SYNTHESIS PROCESS

An inexpensive and facile way to make processable aluminosilicate prec ursors has been developed. In this process, the 'oxide one-pot synthes is process', mixtures of SiO2, Al(OH)(3) and a group I/II hydroxide/ox ide, in any stoichiometric ratio, are reacted with one mole of trietha nolamine (TEAH(3)) per mol of metal, by heating in ethylene glycol (EG H(2)) such that the byproduct H2O distills off. Solvent removal provid es relatively moisture- and air-stable, viscous, polymer-like precurso rs that probably consist of silatrane (TEASi-EGH) and alumatrane [(TEA Al)(4)] complexes. Spinel, mullite and cordierite precursor syntheses are described. The mullite and cordierite precursors most probably are homogeneous mixtures of single-metal alkoxides rather than atomically mixed, bi- and tri-metallic alkoxides. The precursors are soluble in common solvents, and offer viscoelastic properties suitable for powder , coating and fibre spinning applications. Pyrolysis (in air) to great er than or equal to 700 degrees C provides glass or ceramic materials with exactly the stoichiometry of the starting oxide mixture.