Novel method to synthesize highly ordered ethane-bridged PMOs under mild acidic conditions: Taking advantages of phosphoric acid

•Highly ordered ethane-bridged PMOs are synthesized under mild acidic conditions in the presence of H3PO4.•The effects of acidity and inorganic salt on the formation of the mesostructure are investigated.•Vanadium-containing SBA-15-type PMOs are prepared through a direct-synthesis approach.•Vanadium species are well dispersed on the inner surface of the mesopores.

Highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs have been obtained by employing H3PO4 as acid to tune the pH in the presence of copolymer surfactant P123. The effects of the acidity and the addition of inorganic salt on the formation of the mesostructure are investigated. It is found that, compared with HCl, the polyprotic weak acid H3PO4 is preferable for the synthesis of highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs with larger pore size and surface areas under mild acidic conditions. Moreover, taking the advantages of the mild acidic condition, vanadium-containing SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs were successfully prepared through a direct synthesis approach. The XRD, N2-sorption, UV–Vis and CW-EPR studies of the V-PMO show that part of the vanadium species are present in polymeric (V–O–V)n clusters, while part of the vanadium centers are well-dispersed and immobilized on the inner surface of the mesopores.

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