Nickel-based nanocrystals dispersed on SBA-16 gels: Synthesis and structural characterization

•Ni/FeNi-SBA-16 nanocomposites were obtained by one-pot synthesis.•Metallic nanocrystals are hosted within the mesopores of the cubic structure.•Ordered mesoporous structure is preserved after thermal treatments at 800 °C.

Porous monoliths of nanocomposites containing Ni (5 wt.%) and FeNi (5 wt.%) nanoparticles dispersed on an SBA-16 type matrix were prepared following a templated-gelation method based on the sol–gel process. The nanocomposites were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, N2 physisorption at 77 K, X-ray diffraction and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In particular, N2 physisorption and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that the ordered mesoporous structure and the high surface area of all the samples are preserved after calcination in air at 500 °C and also after reduction in H2 flux at 800 °C, indicating a very high thermal stability of the samples. As a result of the effective dispersion of the nanophase within the porous texture, nanocomposites containing Ni nanocrystals with an average size of 6 nm homogeneously dispersed within the pores of the amorphous silica matrix were obtained.