Florent Carn

Syntheses and characterization of highly mesoporous crystalline TiO2 macrocellular foams

Titanium dioxide open-cell macro-cellular foams have been generated with emphasis toward controlling macro-, meso- and microstructures thus reaching hierarchically organized inorganic architectures. At the macroscopic length scale a non-static air–liquid foam strategy allows strong control over the open-cell morphologies. At the meso- and/or nanoscopic length scales various mesogenic templates or latex colloids have been used to promote mesoporosity. Among the strategies in use, a Pluronic copolymer P-123 combined with tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide induce vermicular-like mesoporosity associated with a specific surface area around 400 m2 g−1. At the microscopic length scale, upon the use of specific thermal treatment, either monophasic anatase, biphasic anatase–rutile or monophasic rutile allotropic forms are obtained.

Shaping zirconium phosphate α-Zr(HPO4)2·H2O: from exfoliation to first α-ZrP 3D open-cell macrocellular foams

Using a two-step synthetic route that first takes benefit of an α-Zr(HPO4)2·H2O (α-ZrP) exfoliation process followed by an air–liquid foam shaping method we have designed for the first time 3D macrocellular foams made of α-ZrP lamellae. Apart from this high scale texturation we were able to tune the macroscopic void space shapes (polygonal-type or spherical-type) as well as cell wall thickness by varying the starting foam’s water volume fraction (ρ). Also, by adjusting the size of the porous disk employed during the bubbling process we can define the macroscopic cell diameters with a strong degree of control.