Porous materials obtained by acid treatment processing followed by pillaring of montmorillonite clays

• Montmorillonite clay was treated with HCl acid and pillared with Al polyoxocations.
• Treatment at 50 °C with HCl (2 and 4 mol L− 1) leads to an increase in areas (45%).
• Treatment at 80 °C with HCl (4 mol L− 1) leads to the lowest increase in area (10%).
• Acid treatment before pillaring promoted an increase in the number of acid sites.

Montmorillonite clay was treated with hydrochloric acid and subsequently pillared with aluminum polyoxocations. The acid-treated samples were evaluated for the removal of structural elements (Al, Fe and Mg) and for conservation of the lamellar organization. The more severe the treatment, the greater the specific area obtained. Despite the loss of structural organization, all samples were pillared, with a displacement of peak (001) to 2θ lower angles. The pillaring of all acid-treated samples promoted an increase in the specific area of these materials. Pillared samples previously treated at 50 °C with HCl concentrations of 2 and 4 mol L− 1 underwent an increase in their specific areas of approximately 45%. Pillared samples treated with 4 mol L− 1 of HCl at 80 °C underwent the lowest percent increase in surface area, approximately 10%, compared to the untreated samples. All samples possessed greater uniformity in pore size. Acid treatment prior to pillaring promoted an increase in the number of acid sites of moderate strength compared to pillared natural clay.