Abstract Multimodal porous cellular alumina structures (monoliths) were prepared by an emulsion-gel casting technique using eco-friendly and inexpensive lipids such as corn oil, castor oil, margarine and their mixtures as the dispersed phase. The monoliths obtained showed good mechanical stability, exhibiting compressive strengths in the range of 8–50 N·mm−2. Mercury intrusion porosimetry analysis showed that the monoliths produced presented porosities ranging from 28% to 60% and average pore sizes within 0.2–3.2 μm. The formation of the porous networks was interpreted based on combined droplet coalescence, flocculation and Ostwald ripening effects. The presence of such effects along the emulsion storage time led to changes in their viscoelastic and morphological properties, which were found to correlate with structural descriptors of monoliths after sintering (e.g. average pore sizes and porosity). These correlations open up the possibility to anticipate the final structure of the monoliths and adjust emulsion-gel conditions to produce customized cellular structures with fine-tuned porosities and pore sizes, envisaging their application in membrane processes or chromatography.

中文翻译：

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通过乳液凝胶浇注设计氧化铝整料：从流变学方法理解整料结构

摘要 以玉米油、蓖麻油、人造黄油及其混合物等环保且廉价的脂质为分散相，通过乳液凝胶浇铸技术制备了多峰多孔蜂窝氧化铝结构（整料）。获得的整料显示出良好的机械稳定性，抗压强度范围为 8-50 N·mm-2。压汞孔隙率分析表明，所生产的整料孔隙率在 28% 到 60% 之间，平均孔径在 0.2-3.2 μm 之间。基于组合的液滴聚结、絮凝和奥斯特瓦尔德熟化效应来解释多孔网络的形成。随着乳液储存时间的这种影响的存在，导致它们的粘弹性和形态特性发生变化，发现它们与烧结后整料的结构描述符（例如平均孔径和孔隙率）相关。这些相关性为预测整料的最终结构和调整乳液凝胶条件以产生具有微调孔隙率和孔径的定制细胞结构提供了可能性，设想它们在膜工艺或色谱中的应用。