Synthesis and structural characteristics of carbon aerogels with a high content of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd

High content metal carbon acrogels have been prepared by sol-gel polymerization of formaldehyde with potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, followed by K+-exchange with Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pd(II) ions from an aqueous or aectoneous solution and subsequent supercritical drying with CO2. Carbonization at 1050 degrees C, under an inert atmosphere, transforms the metal ion doped organic aerogels into metal and/or metal oxide nanoparticles-doped carbon aerogels. The resulting materials were characterized by means of elemental analysis, nitrogen adsorption, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The structural properties and metal concentration of the doped carbon aerogel depend on the type and valence of the precursor metal salt. The presence of some graphitic nano-ribbons was evidenced in the case of Fe-, Co-, and Ni-doped carbon acrogels. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.