One-step synthesis of hydrothermally stable mesoporous aluminosilicates with strong acidity

Abstract

Using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) and aluminium isopropoxide (AIP) as the reactants, through a one-step nonsurfactant route based on PMHS–TEOS–AIP co-polycondensation, hydrothermally stable mesoporous aluminosilicates with different Si/Al molar ratios were successfully prepared. All samples exclusively showed narrow pore size distribution centered at 3.6 nm. To assess the hydrothermal stability, samples were subjected to 100 °C distilled water for 300 h. The boiled mesoporous aluminosilicates have nearly the same N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and the same pore size distributions as those newly synthesized ones, indicating excellent hydrothermal stability. The 29Si MAS NMR spectra confirmed that PMHS and TEOS have jointly condensed and CH 3 groups have been introduced into the materials. The 27Al MAS NMR spectra indicated that Al atoms have been incorporated in the mesopore frameworks. The NH 3 temperature-programmed desorption showed strong acidity. Due to the existence of large amount of CH 3 groups, the mesoporous aluminosilicates obtained good hydrophobicity. Owing to the relatively large pore and the strong acidity provided by the uniform four-coordinated Al atoms, the excellent catalytic performance for 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene cracking was acquired easily. The materials may be a profitable complement for the synthesis of solid acid catalysts.