ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Tuning the porosity and physicochemical properties of SBA-15: RSM-assisted optimizing of traditional sol–gel process

Havva Hashemi, Hasan Behnejad, Lasse Rosendahl, and Ahmad Tavasoli

School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

E-mail: havvahashemi@ut.ac.ir

Received: 25 September 2021  Accepted: 20 March 2022

Abstract:

As the literature lacks any systematic study upon the sol–gel process from the process point of view, herein the current work, the influence of key operating parameters including F127/TEOS ratio, Aging time, and calcination rate upon final product textural and bulk properties is aimed to be screened using response surface methodology (RSM). Under user-defined criteria, central composite design tool was used to optimize the process. Following RSM results, SBA-15 synthesis under F127/TEOS ratio of 1.0, an Aging time of 9.0 h, and a calcination rate of 2.3 °C min⁻¹ led to an Engineering SBA-15 (E-SBA-15) with a specific surface area of 518.11 m² g⁻¹, total pore volume of 0.68 cm³ g⁻¹, and mean pore diameter of 10.1 nm, associated with a deviation less than 5% from the predicted values. In light of textural properties acquired via employing BET, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, NH₃-TPD, and crushing strength analyses, it was found that the adequately large mesoporous nature of the E-SBA-15 along with its unique surface chemistry is among the highest points distinguishing it from the Commercial counterparts. Such a feature might help widen its application in many industrial sectors, particularly as support material in heterogenous catalysis, especially when processing suffering from mass transfer limitation.

Keywords: SBA-15; Textural properties; Mesoporous materials; Response surface methodology (RSM)

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02187-z

Chemical Papers 76 (7) 4541–4560 (2022)