Methods for preparing porous metal oxides

A method of producing a stable hexagonally-packed metal oxide mesostructure comprising the steps of:

• a) reacting a transition metal oxide precursor, or lanthanide metal oxide precursor and a chelating agent;
• b) combining the product of step (a) with a surfactant and a quantity of B.sub.2 water under conditions suitable for the head group of the surfactant and the metal oxide precursor to form a metal-surfactant complex;
• c) subjecting the complex of step (b) to conditions suitable for micelle formation and hydrolysis of the complex;
• and
• d) aging the product of step (c) for a period of time and at a temperature suitable for causing the formation of a hexagonally-packed metal oxide mesostructure.

A method of producing a crystalline porous metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure, comprising the steps of:

• a) combining in the substantial absence of water a metal oxide precursor and a small organic moiety having at least one head group, under conditions suitable for the formation of a complex between the head group of the small organic moiety and the metal oxide precursor;
• b) subjecting the complex of step (a) to hydrolysis of the metal oxide precursor;
• and
• c) aging the product of step b) for a period of time and at a temperature suitable for causing the formation of the crystalline porous metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure.

A method of producing a crystalline mesoporous transition metal oxide or crystalline mesoporous lanthanide metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure, comprising the steps of:

• a) combining a transition metal oxide precursor or a lantnanide metal oxide precursor with water for a sufficient period of time to form a gel;
• b) combining the product of step (a) with a surfactant having at least one head group, under conditions suitable for physical interaction between a head group of the surfactant and the gel;
• and
• c) aging the product of step b) for a period of time and at a temperature suitable for causing the formation of the crystalline mesoporous transition metal oxide or crystalline mesoporous lanthanide metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure.

A method of producing a crystalline porous transition metal oxide or crystalline porous lanthanide metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure, comprising the steps of:

• a) combining a metal oxide precursor or a lanthanide metal oxide precursor with water for a sufficient period of time to form a gel;
• b) combining the product of step (a) with a small organic moiety having at least one head group, under conditions suitable for physical interaction between the head group of the small organic moiety and the gel;
• and
• c) aging the product of step b) for a period of time and at a temperature suitable for causing the formation of the crystalline porous transition metal oxide or crystalline porous lanthanide metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure.

A method of producing a crystalline porous metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure, comprising the steps of:

• a) combining a metal oxide precursor with a non-polar organic solvent;
• b) combining a compound, having at least one head group, with an aqueous alcohol solution;
• c) combining the mixture of step a) with the mixture of step b) with stirring to create an oil-in-water emulsion;
• and
• d) aging the product of step c) for a period of time and at a temperature suitable for causing the formation of the crystalline porous metal oxide having a dimensionally consistent pore structure.