Aerogel-copper nanocomposites prepared using the adsorption of a polyfluorinated complex from supercritical CO2

Abstract

A supercritical deposition method has been used to synthesize aerogel-copper nanocomposites. Carbon, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and silica aerogels (CAs, RFAs, and SAs) were impregnated with a new polyfluorinated copper precursor (CuDI6), which has a high solubility in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)). Adsorption isotherms of CuDI6 onto various aerogels from scCO(2) were determined at 35 degrees C and 10.6 MPa using a batch method which is based on the measurement of the fluid phase concentration. The relative affinity between CuDI6 and different aerogels changed in the following order: CA > RFA > SA. The effect of temperature on the adsorption isotherms for the CuDI6-CO2-CA system was also studied at 35 and 55 degrees C and at a CO2 density of 736.1 kg/m(3). The CuDI6 uptake at a particular CuDI6 concentration increased with increasing temperature. Adsorbed CuDI6 was found to convert into Cu and Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles on the aerogel supports after chemical or thermal treatments at ambient pressure and at temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 degrees C.