The Key Laboratory of Catalysis, China National Petroleum Corporation, Department of Chemical Engineering,China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China;
College of Resources and Environment, Hebei Polytechnic University, Tangshan 063009, China;
Using natural Na montmorillonite as the host clay, porous silicapillared montmorillonites (SiPILC) were prepared by the template synthesis method. Furthermore, the texture and structure of such composite materials were investigated by using modern several physicochemical techniques such as powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectra (FTIR), and N2 adsorption/desorption measurements. The results reveal that tetrathylorthosilicate (TEOS) agent has been successfully intercalated into the montmorillonite and the characteristic d001 spacing of SiPILC increases from 1.28nm to 3.15nm. The resultant products with large gallery height possess BJH pore volume as large as 0.30cm3/g, remarkably high BET specific surface area of over 592.0m2/g, pore size distribution in the mesopore region 3.3nm~4.3nm after thermal treatment at 800℃.