Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous materials MCM-41 incorporated by yttrium, neodymium and samarium

Using cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTMAB) as template agent and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as silica source, the MCM-41 mesoporous materials were synthesized with Y, Nd and Sur incorporated in the framework under hydrothermal conditions. The structure and the micro-morphology of the materials and the state of Y, Nd and Sur were investigated through the analyses of XRD, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, SEM, IR and TG-DTA. The XRD results indicate that the synthetic samples are of typical structure of mesoporous MCM-41 with ordered hexagonal arrangements, and Y, Nd and Sm can be incorporated into the framework of these mesoporous materials. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms show that the samples possess the typical mesopores character. SEM micrographs reveal that the incorporated samples show a well-defined spherical morphology with the diameter ranging 0.10 similar to 0.15 mu m. The occurrence of two different template sorption sites in the framework as revealed by TG-DTA analysis further suggests the presence of Y, Nd and Sm in siliceous framework.