Porous inorganic oxide materials prepared by non-ionic surfactant templating route

A method for the preparation of a synthetic semi-crystalline inorganic oxide composition which comprises:

• (a) forming a solution by providing a mixture of (i) a neutral inorganic oxide precursor (I.degree.) containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexavalent elements and mixture thereof;
• (ii) a non-ionic poly(alkylene oxide) surfactant (S.degree.) as a template;
• and (iii) a hydrolyzing agent;
• (b) mixing the solution to form a gel containing the composition;
• (c) separating at least some of the hydrolyzing agent and the surfactant from the gel;
• and
• (d) optionally calcining the composition.

A method for the preparation of a synthetic, semi-crystalline inorganic oxide composition which comprises:

• (a) preparing a solution of a neutral inorganic oxide precursor (I.degree.), containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexavalent elements and mixtures thereof with stirring and optionally aging the inorganic oxide precursor (I.degree.) solution;
• (b) preparing a homogeneous solution of a nonionic poly(alkylene oxide) surfactant (S.degree.) as a template in a hydrolyzing agent, and optionally in a co-solvent, by stirring it at a temperature between about minus 20.degree. and plus 100.degree. C;
• (c) mixing of the solutions of steps (a) and (b) at a temperature between about minus 20.degree. and plus 100.degree. C to form a gel which is aged for at least about 30 minutes to form the composition;
• (d) separating at least some of the hydrolyzing agent and surfactant from the composition;
• and
• (e) optionally calcining the composition.

A method for the preparation of a crystalline inorganic oxide composition which comprises:

• (a) preparing a homogeneous solution of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant as a template (N.degree.) in a lower alkyl alcohol solvent by mixing at ambient temperature;
• (b) adding an inorganic metal precursor to the solution of step (a) at ambient temperature under stirring for at least 30 minutes to form a homogeneous solution;
• (c) slowly adding a solution of a hydrolyzing agent to the homogeneous solution to form a gel as a first precipitate in the aqueous solution;
• (d) aging of the first precipitate with stirring;
• (e) redispersion of the first precipitate in a lower alkyl alcohol;
• (f) aging the redispersion under stirring at ambient temperature for 16 to 48 hours to form a second precipitate;
• (g) separating the aqueous solution, lower alkanol and at least some of the template from the second precipitate by washing once with ethanol;
• and
• (h) drying the second precipitate in air at ambient temperature to form the composition.

A method for the preparation of synthetic, semi-crystalline inorganic silicon dioxide composition which comprises:

• (a) preparing a homogeneous aqueous solution of a nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) derived surfactant template (N.degree.) with mixing at ambient temperature;
• (b) adding an inorganic silica precursor to the solution of step (a) at ambient temperature with stirring to form a solid, precipitate;
• (c) aging of the precipitate with stirring at ambient temperature for between 16 and 48 hours;
• (d) separating the aqueous solution and template from the precipitate followed by washing once with deionized water;
• (e) drying the precipitated and separated precipitate in air at ambient temperature;
• (f) heat treating the air dried precipitate in air at least 373.degree. K. for at least 16 hours;
• (g) optionally removing any remaining template by solvent extraction from the heat treated precipitate;
• and
• (h) calcining the precipitate to remove any remaining template to cross-link the framework at between 673.degree. K. and 923.degree. K. in air for at least 4 hours to form the composition.