The synthesis of large mesopores alumina by microemulsion templating, their characterization and properties as catalyst support

Large mesoporous aluminas have been prepared by the hydrolysis of aluminum tri-sec-butoxide in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) using oil-in-water microemulsion template. These resulting materials showed a disordered mesostructure with large mesopore frameworks. It is found to convert the intermediate phase (hydrated pseudoboehmite) into gamma-Al2O3 at 268.7 degreesC. The large mesoporous alumina materials possess relative narrow mesoporous size distribution, high surface area (407.2 m(2)/g) and pore volumes (0.877 cm(3)/g). The prepared materials exhibited higher performance as catalyst support than that of the similar commercial gamma-Al2O3 granules. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.