Synthesis and Characterisation of Aluminium-Zirconium Based Organic-Inorganic Materials via Sol-Gel Route

Monolithic and transparent hybrid Al-Zr gels were obtained by the reaction of homogeneous mixtures of metal alkoxides: (Al(OBus)3 + Zr(OPr)4) with Butan-1,3-diol at room temperature, without solvent, catalyst, or water. The products have been characterized by IR spectroscopy, DTA and TGA. The results show that the diol has reacted with the mixture of alkoxides leading to the monolithic transparent gels in which both organic-inorganic (–Al–O–R–O–Zr–) and inorganic (–Al–O–Zr–O–) bridges are formed.