Abstract

The MCM-41 ordered mesoporous material was synthesized from diatomite, a natural raw material. The synthesis process took 48 hours, and was carried out under hydrothermal conditions, at autogenic pressure, and at a temperature of 110°C. The molar proportions used in the synthesis were the following: SiO2/Al2O3 = 8.7; BCTA/SiO2 = 0.1; Na2O/SiO2 = 0.1-0.2; H2O/Na2O = 250-300. The resulting crystals were identified by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and characterized by Electron Diffraction (ED), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Apparent Superficial Area (BET), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Thermogravimetry (TG).