| abstract |
A method for the preparation of quasi-crystalline, porous inorganic and organic oxide materials possessing uniform framework-confined mesopores in the range 1 to 12 nm prepared using an organic silane, such as (RO)3SiR1. The method uses an interaction between various nonionic poly(oxyalkylene) polymer based surfactants and neutral inorganic oxide precursors at ambient reaction temperatures. Exemplary surfactants are alkyl-polyethylene oxides and alkylphenyl-polyethylene oxides. Exemplary inorganic oxide precursors are single metal and double metal alkoxides including tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). Recovery of the template can be achieved through solvent extraction where the solvent may be water, an organic solvent, a mixture of organic solvents, or a mixture of water and organic solvent(s). The porous products produced may be used as absorbents, ion-exchangers, catalyst, catalyst supports or composites. |