High specific surface area of SiO2–C meso- and nanoporous materials textural assessment and surface development

Abstract

In this work a SiO2-C system has been prepared on the basis of phenolic resins co-gellification and prehydrolized ethylsilicate.This material was cured at 180º and calcinated at 1500ºC in a reducing atmosphere, obtaining a composite material with two different crosslinked frameworks,one of silica and the other ofcarbon.These frameworks are self-supported and independent,and the carbon structure can be isolated by the elimination of silica network by HF acida ttack.SiO2-C and C materials were characterized and employed as Pt catalytic support.These catalytic systems were studied on hydrogen production by glycerol steam reforming. Pt/SiO2-C resulted into a more active and stable catalyst due to the effect of low metal sintering and more favorable transport and diffusion of the reactants and products.