Synthesis of a homogeneously porous solid oxide matrix with tunable porosity and pore size

A method for synthesis of a porous solid oxide matrix comprising:

• synthesizing a composite by co-precipitating a ceramic material with a sacrificial material, the method of co-precipitating comprising combining stoichiometric amounts of starting materials including Ce(NO3)3.6H2O, Ni(NO3)2.6H2O, and Sm(NO3)3.6H2O in the presence of (NH4)2CO3 as mineralizer, the co-precipitation forming a samarium doped cerium (SDC)-nickel oxide (NiO) composite that includes the NiO as the sacrificial material;
• sintering the composite;
• reducing the sacrificial material of the sintered composite;
• removing the reduced sacrificial material from the sintered composite to form the porous solid oxide matrix;
• and
• controlling a median pore size of the porous solid oxide matrix by controlling a sintering temperature of the composite and a volume fraction of the sacrificial material;
• wherein
• an increase in the sintering temperature at a given volume fraction of the sacrificial material will increase the median pore size of the porous solid oxide matrix without an equivalent increase in porosity of the porous solid oxide matrix.