Variations in mechanical and thermal properties of mesoporous alumina thin films due to porosity and ordered pore structure.

Ordered mesoporous aluminum oxide films with porosity ranging between 5% and 37% were synthesized by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) using surfactant templating. To investigate the effects of mesoporous structure on thermal properties, changes in pore structure including pore size, pore distribution, and porosity were monitored as a function of surfactant concentration (Pluronic P-123, poly(ethylene oxide)(20)-poly(propylene oxide)(70)-poly(ethylene oxide)(20)). The ordered mesoporous alumina films were then examined to determine how their morphology influences their thermal properties. These alumina films had a body-centered cubic pore structure or a random-oriented pore structure, depending on the surfactant concentration used, and superior thermal properties were obtained by controlling porosity and pore structure. Therefore, the ordered mesoporous alumina films synthesized in this study can be used as high-temperature thermo-isolating materials.