Short-period synthesis of ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 using ultrasonic technique

Abstract Mesoporous silica SBA-15 was synthesized from rice husk ash via the ultrasonic technique in the hydrolysis–condensation stage. The effect of the time period in this stage on the mesoporous silica SBA-15 structure and physical properties was investigated and compared with those of the SBA-15 prepared by the conventional technique. It has been shown that the ultrasonic technique can be successfully applied for the synthesis of mesoporous silica SBA-15 with highly ordered hexagonal pore-arrangement and narrow PSD within the much shorter hydrolysis–condensation period. The SBA-15 products synthesized via the ultrasonic technique for the time period of 3 h have higher specific surface area, total pore volume, and microporosity than those prepared by the conventional technique for the time period of 24 h.