Porous material composed of layered silica and metal oxide and a process for manufacturing the same

A porous material formed with a plurality of single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets having interlayer bridges of SiO.sub.2 between adjacent single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets, formed by a process comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing at least one organic substance having a molecular size of at least 20 .ANG. by ion exchange into an interlayer space of crystals of layered silicates, and forming interlayer bridges of SiO.sub.2 between adjacent single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets by condensation of surface silanols;
• (b) bringing said crystals into contact with a salt of a metal other than silicon;
• and
• (c) firing said crystals at a high temperature;
• the steps being carried out in the order of either (a), (b) and (c);
• (b), (a) and (c);
• (a) and (b) at the same time and (c);
• or (a), (c), (b) and (c);
• the above said steps of the process being performed to yield a porous material having a multiplicity of pores with a diameter of at least about 20 .ANG., said pores being substantially uniform in diameter, the single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets having bent portions, said bent portions of adjacent single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets being partly bonded to each other to form said interlayer bridges and a porous structure having a generally honeycomb cross-section defined by the adjacent single layer SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra sheets bounded by said interlayer bridges, said porous material possessing properties of a solid acid produced by the isomorphous substitution of metal atoms selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, gallium, beryllium, magnesium, yttrium, lanthanum, tin, lead and combinations thereof for a portion of the Si atoms of the SiO.sub.2 bridges.