Thermally stable mesoporous zirconia prepared via post-synthesis hydrothermal restructuring

The zirconia-based mesoporous materials with thermal stability up to 700 °C were prepared by post-synthesis hydrothermal restructuring treatment. The structural parameters of the resultant hydrothermally restructured materials change dramatically in comparison with the as-synthesized mesoporous zirconia, and the mesoporous structure order and stability are improved due to the pore wall thickening. The mesoporous zirconia without hydrothermal restructuring shows a disordered and wormhole-like pore structure, but the hydrothermal restructuring treatment can increase its thermal stability and retain its ordered mesopore arrangement up to 600 °C. The optimal temperature and time of post-synthesis hydrothermal treatment are 130 °C and 10 h, respectively. The obtained materials can be expected to act as a catalyst for the various organic reactions or a support for the activators.