Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for preparing a transparent, monolithic, nonparticulate, porous product consisting essentially of alumina with a total porosity of at least 50% which comprises the steps of: a. providing an acid peptized, clear colloidal solution by hydrolyzing an aluminum alkoxide of the formula Al(OR) 3 , wherein R is an alkyl of 1-24 carbon atoms, with water, wherein the mole ratio of water to said alkoxide is at least 8:1 and wherein said acid peptization is effected with about 0.03 to about 0.250 moles of acid per mole of said alkoxide, said acid having an ionization constant of at least 1 × 10.sup. -5 and having a noncomplexing anion with aluminum, b. gelling said clear solution, and c. drying said gel and pyrolyzing same by heating at a rate sufficiently slow to preclude cracking at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. and for a time insufficient to form alpha Al 2 O 3 but sufficient to form said transparent, monolithic, porous, nonparticulate Al 2 O 3 product.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for preparing a transparent, monolithic, nonparticulate, porous product consisting essentially of alumina with a total porosity of at least 50% which comprises the steps of: a. providing an acid peptized, clear colloidal solution by hydrolyzing an aluminum alkoxide of the formula Al(OR) 3 , wherein R is an alkyl of 1-24 carbon atoms, with water, wherein the mole ratio of water to said alkoxide is at least 8:1 and wherein said acid peptization is effected with about 0.03 to about 0.250 moles of acid per mole of said alkoxide, said acid having an ionization constant of at least 1 × 10.sup. -5 and having a noncomplexing anion with aluminum, b. gelling said clear solution, and c. drying said gel and pyrolyzing same by heating at a rate sufficiently slow to preclude cracking at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. and for a time insufficient to form alpha Al 2 O 3 but sufficient to form said transparent, monolithic, porous, nonparticulate Al 2 O 3 product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the colloidal solution is gelled by evaporation of the excess liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the dried gel is pyrolyzed at about 500° to 600° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 1 which includes the additional step of nondestructively converting the transparent, nonparticulate alumina to alpha alumina by further heating above about 900° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the moles of said acid per mole of alkoxide is about .03 to about .15 and wherein the mole ratio of water to said alkoxide is about 70:1 to about 200:1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said acid is HCl.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as in claim 5 in which about .07 moles of acid per mole of alkoxide are employed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises combining said alkoxide and water at a temperature of about 40 to about 80° C., adding said acid thereto, and then heating at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 160° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as in claim 8 wherein said heating temperature is about 80° C. to about 95° C. and said heating is done for a period of from 2 to 4 days.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as in claim 8 in which from 70 to about 200 moles of water per mole of alkoxide are combined at a temperature from 60° to 80° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 in which the alkoxide is a member of the group consisting of the methoxide, ethoxide, propoxide, and butoxide of aluminum and isomers thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as in claim 1 in which the alkoxide is aluminum isopropoxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as in claim 1 in which the alkoxide is aluminum secondary butoxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the equivalent acidity is produced by adding a water soluble acidic salt having a noncomplexing anion with aluminum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which the colloidal solution is gelled by adding a base thereto.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 14 in which the base is NH 4 OH.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of said acid is between about .03 to about .150.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for preparing a transparent, monolithic, nonparticulate, porous product consisting essentially of Al 2 O 3 which comprises the steps of: a. providing a gel of the hydrolysis product obtained by hydrolyzing an aluminum alkoxide of the formula Al(OR) 3 , wherein R is an alkyl of 1-24 carbon atoms, with water and an acid wherein the mole ratio of water to said alkoxide is in the range of 8:1 to 20:1 and wherein said acid is employed in an amount of about .03 to about .250 moles of acid per mole of said alkoxide, said acid having an ionization constant of at least 1 × 10.sup. -5 and having a noncomplexing anion with aluminum, b. drying said gel, and c. pyrolyzing said gel by heating at a rate sufficiently slow to preclude cracking at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. so as to form said transparent, monolithic, porous, nonparticulate Al 2 O 3 product, said heating being insufficient to form alpha alumina.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for preparing a transparent, monolithic, nonparticulate, porous product consisting essentially of Al 2 O 3 which comprises the steps of: a. providing a gel of the hydrolysis product obtained by hydrolyzing an aluminum alkoxide of the formula Al(OR) 3 , wherein R is an alkyl of 1-24 carbon atoms, with water and an acid wherein the mole ratio of water to said alkoxide is in the range of 8:1 to 20:1 and wherein said acid is employed in an amount of about .03 to about .250 moles of acid per mole of said alkoxide, said acid having an ionization constant of at least 1 × 10.sup. -5 and having a noncomplexing anion with aluminum, b. drying said gel, and c. pyrolyzing said gel by heating at a rate sufficiently slow to preclude cracking at a temperature in excess of about 500° C. so as to form said transparent, monolithic, porous, nonparticulate Al 2 O 3 product, said heating being insufficient to form alpha alumina.