Synthesis of mesoporous magnesium oxide by CMK-3 carbon structure replication

Periodically ordered mesoporous magnesium oxide was synthesized in a double replication procedure. Mesoporous SBA-15 silica and CMK-3 carbon were successively used as hard structure matrixes. The carbon pore system was infiltrated with Mg(NO3)(2), which was then converted to MgO at 573 K; the carbon matrix was finally removed by thermal combustion. The structure of the mesoporous MgO corresponds to that of the original SBA-15 silica. The products consist of hexagonally arranged cylindrical mesopores and crystalline pore walls. The efficiency of the replication series was studied by variation of the infiltration method and comprehensive pore size analysis of all involved mesoporous materials. The in situ formation of MgO inside the CMK-3 carbon pore system was monitored by thermal analysis. Postsynthetic treatment of the products at 823 K in a vacuum prior to removal of the carbon matrix was found to improve the crystallinity but to diminish the periodic order of the pore system.