Synthesis of high-surface-area ruthenium oxide aerogels by non-alkoxide sol–gel route

High-surface-area ruthenium oxide aerogels with pronounced mesoporosity are prepared by carbon dioxide supercritical drying of alcogels by a non-alkoxide sol–gel process with ruthenium chloride as a precursor and epoxide as a proton scavenger. The influence of various sol–gel preparation parameters both on gel formation and the textural properties and voltammetric response of the resulting ruthenium oxide aerogels are investigated systematically. The un-calcined ruthenium oxide aerogel in the amorphous phase possesses a surface area in excess of 350 m2 g−1 has a specific capacitance as high as 595 F g−1.