SiO2-Al2O3 Sol Coating for Heat-Resistant Porous Alumina Films

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing porous alumina materials suffer from decreased specific surface area and composition changes due to hydration reactions under high temperature, high pressure, and water vapor conditions, leading to increased pressure-loss and reduced catalytic activity in applications like automobile exhaust gas purification.

Innovation Solution

A method for synthesizing a SiO2Al2O3 containing sol solution is developed, involving steps to prepare alkoxysilane and aluminum solutions, precipitate a silicon compound on aluminum hydroxide, filter and wash the precipitate, and adjust pH and autoclave treat the slurry to form a sol state, resulting in highly dispersed sol particles that form a high-heat-resistant and high-specific-surface-area porous alumina film with excellent adhesion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional porous alumina materials are used under high temperature, high pressure, and water vapor conditions, then the materials can provide catalytic activity, but the specific surface area decreases and composition changes due to hydration reactions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatalytic activityVSAvoidspecific surface area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material by adding silica (SiO2) to alumina to form SiO2-Al2O3 composite porous structures. This composite approach prevents the phase transition and sintering of pure alumina under severe conditions, thereby maintaining high specific surface area and compositional stability while preserving catalytic activity. The silica component acts as a structural stabilizer that restrains alumina grain growth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by incorporating silica into the alumina matrix, transforming it from pure alumina to silica-added alumina. This compositional parameter change fundamentally alters the material's resistance to hydration reactions and phase transitions, enabling it to maintain stability under high temperature, pressure, and water vapor conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If alumina layer is wash coated on honeycomb substrate for high SV conditions, then catalytic efficiency is improved, but the alumina layer has insufficient heat resistance and sintering proceeds under high temperature conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatalytic efficiencyVSAvoidheat resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent forms a composite porous alumina-silica coating layer on the honeycomb substrate instead of using pure alumina. The silica component provides thermal stability and prevents sintering at high temperatures, while the porous structure maintains high surface area for catalytic reactions. This composite approach simultaneously achieves both high catalytic efficiency and heat resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies silica addition locally to the alumina coating layer on the honeycomb substrate. The silica is incorporated into the porous alumina structure to create regions with enhanced heat resistance where it is most needed (at the high-temperature exposure zones), while maintaining the overall porous structure necessary for catalytic function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If SiO2 is added to Al2O3 to improve heat resistance, then high-heat-resistant alumina powder can be formed, but the pressure-loss increases under high SV conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidpressure-loss
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the silica content parameter in the SiO2-Al2O3 composite, optimizing it to achieve the minimum effective concentration that provides heat resistance without excessively increasing pressure loss. By precisely adjusting this compositional parameter, the patent balances thermal stability with fluid flow characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains a porous structure in the SiO2-Al2O3 composite material, ensuring that the addition of silica does not densify the material. The porous morphology is preserved through controlled synthesis methods, allowing gas flow to pass through with minimal pressure loss while the silica-reinforced structure provides the necessary heat resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method produces a porous alumina film with enhanced heat resistance and adhesion, maintaining a high specific surface area even under severe conditions, suitable for catalyst carriers and substrates like cordierite and quartz-glass.

Implementation Method 1

applying the sol solution to a substrate surface, and drying and calcining the coating film

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

drying and calcining the coating film thereof

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCalcination: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 3

precipitating a precipitate with a silicon compound adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 4

performing an autoclave treatment on the slurry solution, wherein the pH adjusting treatment on the slurry solution controls pH value of the slurry solution within a specific pH range so that the solution state of the SiO2 Al2O3 containing sol solution after the autoclave treatment is a sol state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAutoclave treatment: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP4458771B1METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING SiO2AL2O3-CONTAINING SOL SOLUTION, AND METHOD FOR FORMING POROUS ALUMINA FILM
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 RENAISSANCE ENERGY RES
  • EP4458771B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4458771B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(d)
  • EP4458771B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for synthesizing a sol solution for forming porous alumina films having high heat resistance and high specific surface area and excellent adhesion to various substrate surfaces is provided. An alkoxysilane solution and an aluminum solution are prepared separately in advance, a precipitate with a silicon compound adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide is precipitated in a mixed solution of the alkoxysilane solution and the aluminum solution, and the precipitate filtered from the mixed solution is washed with water to prepare a precipitate cake, a slurry solution is prepared by adding water to the precipitate cake, a pH adjusting treatment is performed on the slurry solution, and then an autoclave treatment is performed to prepare SiO2Al2O3 containing sol solution. By the pH adjusting treatment on the slurry solution, pH value of the slurry solution is controlled within a specific pH range in which the solution state of the SiO2Al2O3 containing sol solution after the autoclave treatment is a sol state. The sol-solution is suitable for forming a porous alumina film having high heat resistance and high specific surface area excellent in adhesion to various substrate surfaces.