Monolithic ZnO aerogel synthesized through dispersed inorganic sol–gel method using citric acid as template

In this study, we developed the ZnO aerogel through dispersed inorganic sol–gel method using citric acid as template, which employed the properties of high apparent specific surface areas. According to the results demonstrated by nitrogen adsorption/desorption and field-emission scanning electron microscope measurements, the aerogel produces extremely porous and homogenous material and monolithic mesoporous materials featuring high surface areas (122 m 2 /g). The thermal stability is investigated through TGA and FTIR, respectively. When the temperature reaches up to 500 °C, all the organic absorption peaks disappear and only ZnO emerges. In summary, the attractive properties of the aerogel promote the potential applications of their nanostructures.