Characterization of the surface area and porosity of sol-gel films using saw devices. [Silicates; surface acoustic wave (SAW)]
A novel technique for accurately obtaining nitrogen adsorption isotherms on thin porous films has been developed. These isotherms are useful for characterizing the surface area and pore size distribution of porous samples. The sensitivity to adsorbed nitrogen is increased by several orders of magnitude over conventional techniques by forming the test film on the substrate of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. This device functions as a microbalance able to detect less than 100 pg of adsorbed nitrogen per cm{sup 2} of film. Surface areas and pore size distributions were calculated from adsorption isotherms obtained with this technique on silicate sol-gel films. The results are compared to those for bulk samples prepared from similar sol-gel solutions. 18 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.)
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5574566
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-87-2673C; CONF-880408--46; ON: DE88008794
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Sol-gel preparation and properties of alumina adsorbents for gas separation
Heat of adsorption and thin film surface area studies of a silica sol-gel film exposed to HCl and H{sub 2}O
Related Subjects
360602* -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
ACOUSTIC TESTING
ADSORPTION
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EQUATIONS
FILMS
GELS
ISOTHERMS
MATERIALS TESTING
NITROGEN
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROSITY
REFRACTIVITY
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SOLS
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TESTING
THIN FILMS