The synthesis of Al-MCM-41 from volclay - A low-cost Al and Si source

The alkaline fusion of volclay (a low-cost sodium exchanged smectite) was used as source to generate the Si and Al components which were effectively transformed into mesoporous Al-MCM-41 depending on hydrothermal condition. The Al-MCM-41 materials were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N(2) adsorption-desorption measurements and both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The volclay which converted into a silicon and an aluminium source allowed the formation of well ordered mesoporous Al-MCM-41 materials with high aluminium content (roughly 4 times higher than a Al-MCM-41 produced by a standard method). a high specific surface area (1060 m(2)/g). a pore volume of 0 8 cm(3)/g (for pore width <7.1 nm) with in mono-modal pore distribution with a maximum in the mesoporous pore size of 3.8 nm in pore width. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved