Synthesis of mesoporous aluminophosphates and their adsorption properties

Hexagonal mesostructured alkyltrimethylammonium-aluminophosphate materials were prepared by using hexadecyltrimethylammonium and dococyltrimethylammonium chlorides as surfactants and by utilizing 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene as an auxiliary organic additive. Calcination of these materials at 600°C yielded thermally stable mesoporous aluminophosphate materials with large surface areas above 700 m² g^-1 and with pore diameters in the range from 1.8 to 3.9 nm. The hexagonal mesostructured materials before calcination had less condensed frameworks as determined by ³¹P MAS NMR, which caused certain shrinkages during calcination for the formation of the porous structures. Water and benzene adsorption data indicated that the mesoporous aluminophosphate materials had comparatively hydrophilic mesopores.