Direct synthesis and characterization of LaSBA-15 mesoporous molecular sieves

Lanthanum-incorporated SBA-15 mesoporous molecular sieves were synthesized in a two-stage hydrothermal procedure from a precursor solution containing lanthanum chloride. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray fluorescence, and nitrogen porosimetry. Taken together, the analyses indicated that the products formed highly ordered mesostructures with large average pore sizes, and suggested that the lanthanum was incorporated in the SBA-15 both into the framework as well as within the mesopores. Catalytic dehydration of ethanol over the LaSBA-15 products shows that they have weak Lewis acid and basic functionalities, indicative of the presence of lanthanum oxide in these samples.