Synthesis of High Surface Area—Group 13—Metal Oxides via Atomic Layer Deposition on Mesoporous Silica

The atomic layer deposition of gallium and indium oxide was investigated on mesoporous silica powder and compared to the related aluminum oxide process. The respective oxide (GaOx, InOx) was deposited using sequential dosing of trimethylgallium or trimethylindium and water at 150 °C. In-situ thermogravimetry provided direct insight into the growth rates and deposition behavior. The highly amorphous and well-dispersed nature of the oxides was shown by XRD and STEM EDX-mappings. N2 sorption analysis revealed that both ALD processes resulted in high specific surface areas while maintaining the pore structure. The stoichiometry of GaOx and InOx was suggested by thermogravimetry and confirmed by XPS. FTIR and solid-state NMR were conducted to investigate the ligand deposition behavior and thermogravimetric data helped estimate the layer thicknesses. Finally, this study provides a deeper understanding of ALD on powder substrates and enables the precise synthesis of high surface area metal oxides for catalytic applications.