SiO2 aerogels prepared by ambient pressure drying with ternary azeotropes as components of pore fluid

Abstract Silica aerogels were synthesized by two-step sol–gel polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in alcohol and using ambient pressure drying with ternary azeotropes as components of pore fluid. The structure and physical properties of these aerogels were investigated by several experimental methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermo-gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), specific surface area analyzer and pore size analyzer. The results indicated that silica aerogels are coherent, hydrophobic and nano-porous solid. The high specific surface was 838.6 m 2 /g.