Macroporous alumina with cellular interconnected morphology from emulsion templated polymer composite precursors

Macroporous polymer composites with included alumina particles were prepared via an emulsion templating procedure by photopolymerising the monomer containing continuous phase. Methyl methacrylate and multifunctional acrylate monomer Sartomer SR 492 were used for the polymer matrix. Composites with open porous cellular morphology with cavities around 15 μm were obtained and further processed by a calcination and sintering process to form alumina ceramic material with the same morphology as the polymer composite precursors. Emulsion composition was optimised in order to obtain monolithic type of the final material with macropores on a micrometer scale connected by a number of interconnecting channels. Mechanical and thermal properties both of precursor composites and ceramic materials were evaluated.