Synthesis of pillared clays with aluminum by means of concentrated suspensions and microwave radiation

Abstract

Starting from clay suspensions in water at 2% and 30% and also from dry clay, aluminum pillared clays were synthesized by applying microwave radiation both during the maturation of the aluminum polyhydroxication and in the intercalation, in order to reduce the time and the amounts of water with respect to the conventional synthesis of pillared clays. The intercalation was carried out by means of a direct mixture of the pillaring solution and the clay. The X-ray diffraction analyses, the cationic exchange capacity and the catalytic assessment in the n-heptane hydroconversion, showed that the solids synthesized exhibited better characteristics and catalytic behavior than the solid obtained through the conventional method of synthesis.