The microstructures of the porous ceramics are improved considerably using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a pore template since particles tend to adsorb irreversibly at the air-water interface. This paper presents a versatile approach for the production of porous SiO2 ceramics by a process of direct foaming with the addition of PMMA beads. The adsorption free energy of the colloidal suspension was found to be 2.0 × 109 kT. A wet foam stability of >80% was achieved using the surfactant hexylamine (0.05 M), which resulted in a colloidal suspension with the highest surface tension (116.2 mN m− 1).
StudartA. R., GonzenbachU. T., TervoortE. and GaucklerL. J.: ‘Processing routes to macroporous ceramics: a review’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 2006, 89, (6), 1771–1789.
2.
Saggio-WoyanskyJ., ScottC. E. and MinnearW. P.: ‘Processing of porous ceramics’, Am. Ceram. Soc. Bull., 1992, 71, (11), 1674–1682.
3.
de sousaE., RamboC. R., HotzaD., Novaes de OliveiraA. P., FeyT. and GreilP.: ‘Microstructure and properties of LZSA glass-ceramic foams’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2008, 476, (1-2), 89–97.
4.
FujiuT., MessingG. L. and HuebnerW.: ‘Processing and properties of cellular silica synthesized by foaming sol gels’, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1990, 73, (1), 85–90.
5.
MaoX., WangS. and ShimaiS.: ‘Porous ceramics with tri-modal pores prepared by foaming and starch consolidation’, Ceram. Int., 2008, 34, (1), 107–112.
6.
SepulvedaP. and BinnerJ. G. P.: ‘Processing of cellular ceramics by foaming and in-situ polymerization of organic monolymers’, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 1999, 19, 2059–2066.
7.
PokhrelA., NamS. D., LeeS. T. and KimI. J.: ‘Processing of porous ceramics by direct foaming: a review’, J. Korean Ceram. Soc., 2013, 50, (2), 93–102.
8.
GuzmanY.: ‘Certain principles of formation of porous ceramic structures. Properties and applications (a review)’, Glass Ceramics, 2003, 60, (9-10), 280–283.
9.
GaoduA. N. and KainarskiiI. S.: ‘A study of kinetics of alumina slip swelling for making lightweight corundum materials’, Ognenpory, 1964, 6, 270–275.
10.
AranberriI., BinksB. P., ClintJ. H. and FletcherP. D. I.: ‘Synthesis of macroporous silica from soli-stabilized emulsion templates’, J. Porous Mater., 2009, 16, 429–437.
11.
DanovK. D. and KralchevskyP. A.: ‘The standard free energy of surfactant adsorption at air/water and oil/water interfaces: theoretical vs. empirical approaches’, Colloid J., 2012, 74, (2), 172–185.
12.
MurrayB. S.: ‘Stabilization of bubbles and foams’, Curr. Opin. Colloid Interface Sci., 2007, 12, 231–241.
13.
KaptayG.: ‘On the equation of the maximum capillary pressure induced by solid particles to stabilize emulsions and foams and on the emulsion stability diagrams’, Colloids Surf., 2006, 282, 387–401.
14.
PokhrelA., ParkJ. G., ZhaoW. and KimI. J.: ‘Functional porous ceramics using amphiphilic molecules’, J. Ceram. Process. Res., 2012, 13, (4), 420–424.
15.
DenkovN. D., IvanovI. B., KralchevskyP. A. and WasanD. T.: ‘A possible mechanism of stabilization of emulsions by solid particles’, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 1992, 150, (2), 589–593.
16.
HunterT. N., PughR. J., FanksG. V. and JamesonG. J.: ‘A role of particles in stabilizing foams and emulsions’, Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., 2008, 13, (7), 57–81.
