Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
The mechanical and microstructural properties of two-step acid-basecatalyzed silica gels were examined as functions of aging time, catalystconcentration, and hydrolysis time. Cylindrical gels were prepared using Si(OC2H5)4,C2H5OH, and H2O, with HCl followed by NH3 as catalysts. Mechanical properties were obtained fromthree-point bend tests, and the microstructures of dried gels were analyzedusing nitrogen adsorption/desorption techniques. Gel strength initiallyincreased with aging time at 70 °C, then leveled off after about one week.When the sol was hydrolyzed for less than two hours, there were significantdifferences in the properties of gels catalyzed with relative molar amountsof 0.0001 and 0.0002 HCl. However, as the hydrolysis time was increased, thegels all had similar properties, independent of the amount of HC1. Theamount of NH3 influenced gelation time and to a lesser extent, the strength,but had no observable effect on pore size. The two-step catalysis procedureproduced gels with strength and pore size combinations intermediate to thoseof either single acid or base-catalyzed gels.