Abstract
A facile procedure was developed for the production of Al
2
O
3
aerogels modified with tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum complex (AlQ
3
). The addition of 8-hydroxyquinoline during the stage of alumina lyogel formation was found to increase gelation duration. The translucent monolithic aerogels were obtained by supercritical drying of lyogels in CO
2
. The composition and properties of aerogels were analyzed using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, helium pycnometry, IR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry combined with mass spectrometry. The obtained aerogels had low density (0.15–0.18 g cm
−3
), high specific surface area (480–550 m
2
/g), high porosity (90–95%), and showed bright luminescence upon excitation in the UV range.