New Trends for Preparing Mesoporous Catalysts to Produce Green Fuel

Abstract

1) In the present study, a novel strategy was applied for the synthesis of the neat SBA-15 mesoporous support, with well-ordered hexagonal pore structure, by modifying the hydrothermal treatment and the calcinations profile. According to this regime, the aging time was reduced to 24 h (instead of 48 h) and the calcination time was limited to 3 h.

2) The main aim of the first part was to optimize the proper Al ratio, required for the modification of SBA-15 through different novel techniques. This was performed, based on the N2-physisorption as well as the NH3-TPD studies, using 10, 25 and 40 wt% Al species. The alumina – modification techniques involved: one-pot-in situ direct synthesis (Inst), ultrasonic post synthesis (Us) and impregnation post synthesis (Imp) for incorporation of Al into SBA-15 matrix and improving the acidity.

3) 25 wt % Al was chosen to be the optimum ratio, according to the results obtained from the mentioned studies. The corresponding Al-modified samples, namely 25% Al-S (Inst), 25 % Al-S (Us) and 25% Al-S (Imp), beside the neat SBA-15, were subject of further modification through loading of 5 wt % iron oxide nanoparticles, adopting microwave (M) or ultrasonic (U) treatment routes.