Ferrocene-Modified Resorcinol–Formaldehyde Aerogels

Abstract

An efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of resorcinol–formaldehyde hybrid aerogels with ferrocene subunit fragments embedded in their polymer structure. For gelation preceding the synthesis of aerogels, dioxane was used for the first time as the main reaction solvent. The gels were converted into aerogels using SC-CO2. The aerogel samples were characterized in detail by Mössbauer spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The density of the materials was determined. The iron content in the resulting aerogels varies from 1.5 to 11 wt % (or 5.6–36.3 wt % ferrocene units). The metallocene subunits are present in aerogels in two valence-oxidation states: ferrocene and ferrocenium.