Synthesis of crystalline MgO nanoparticle with mesoporous-assembled structure via a surfactant-modified sol–gel process

Abstract Highly crystalline MgO nanoparticles with the mesoporous-assembled structure were synthesized via a modified sol–gel process with the aid of a structure-directing surfactant under mild conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) analyses revealed that the synthesized MgO possessed high crystallinity with the particle size in nanosized range. N2 adsorption–desorption and pore size distribution analyses indicated that its pore size distribution was in a narrow mesoporous range, which originated from an assembly of the MgO nanoparticles.