Synthesis of mesoporous MgO single crystals without templates

Single crystals of MgO were synthesized using a simple precipitation method with no templates. The magnesium hydroxide was synthesized at 25 °C or 100 °C by the precipitation of magnesium nitrate solution, aged at room temperature or 100 °C. Precipitation temperature had a great influence on the morphology in the synthesis of magnesium oxide. The N2 physisorption, XRD and electron microscopic (SEM/TEM, HRTEM) analysis associated with the electron diffraction reveal the different morphological structures and pores of MgO synthesized with different synthesis methods. Precipitation at 25 °C generated macroporous MgO with plate-like crystals. However, the change of precipitation temperature to 100 °C generated mesoporous single crystalline MgO, and the stabilization and growth of MgO(1 1 1) planes (with d-spacing of 0.244 nm) was observed. The formation of mesopores and single crystallinity of MgO synthesized by the precipitation at 100 °C were retained even after calcination at a temperature of 800 °C for 5 h.

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► Single crystallined mesoporous MgO could be synthesized without templates.
► Synthesis temperature showed considerable effects on the morphology of MgO.
► Mesoporous MgO single crystals could be prepared by a hydrothermal method.
► Mesoporous MgO single crystals were confirmed by SEM/TEM and HRTEM images.
► Mesoporous MgO single crystals were stable up to 800 °C.