Replication of mesoporous aluminosilicate molecular sieves (RMMs) with zeolite framework from mesoporous carbons (CMKs)

A novel class of mesoporous aluminosilicate molecular sieves has been prepared by replication from carbon mesoporous molecular sieves (CMKs) using zeolite precursors and characterized by a variety of analytical and spectroscopic techniques, such as XRD, N-2 adsorption/desorption, SEM/TEM, IR, hyperpolarized (HP) Xe-129, and P-31 MAS NMR. These replicated mesoporous materials (RMMs), namely RMM-1 and RMM-3 prepared from CMK-1 and CMK-3, were found to exhibit mesoporous structures respectively analogous to Al-MCM-48 and Al-SBA-15 but possess unique microporous characteristics due to the presence of zeolite secondary building units in the framework. Consequently, these RMMs are also found to have superior thermal, hydrothermal, and mechanical stabilities and with improved acidic properties compared to their respective parent counterparts. The RMM-3 so prepared represents the first synthesis of protonated aluminosilicate with an SBA-15 structure prepared by a nonacidic route.