Preparation of oxide particles with ordered macropores by colloidal templating and spray pyrolysis

Silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, and yttrium dioxide particles containing macropores with ordered, hexagonal closed packing structures were produced by spray pyrolysis. A mixture of a solution of the oxide source (nitrous metal) and a colloid comprised of polystyrene latex (PSL) particles was used. The process involved initial drying at low temperature to evaporate the solvent, followed by drying at high temperature to permit the pyrolysis reaction to occur and to decompose the PSL beads. This takes place in a vertical reactor and requires around 1-2 s. This method can, in principle, be used to produce various types of oxide particles containing ordered pores. It allows easy control of the particle size, pore size and space, and the porosity of particles. Bragg reflection of the powdered material was observed under ultraviolet irradiation.