Direct synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance of Al-SBA-15 mesoporous catalysts with varying Si/Al molar ratios

Through a directly hydrothermal process and utilizing Pluronic P123 triblock polymer (EO20PO70EO20, Mav = 5800) as a template, Al-SBA-15 mesoporous materials have been prepared with different Si/Al molar ratios. The materials were characterized by XRD, ICP-OES, SEM, TEM, Py FT-IR, N2 adsorption–desorption and NH3-TPD techniques. Meanwhile, the catalytic performance of the Al-SBA-15 materials was investigated through Friedel–Crafts alkylation of 2,4-ditert-butyl-phenol with cinnamyl alcohol. Characterization results showed that the catalysts contain a variety of acid sites whose contents vary in a systematic manner with various Si/Al molar ratios of the materials, and have a higher catalytic activity in the alkylation reaction of phenol with tert-butanol. It was found that the Al-SBA-15 samples with good mesoporous structure are highly reusable preserving most of their catalytic activity after five cycles.