Production of pure granules of SBA-15 mesoporous silica

Abstract

Mesoporous silica materials have been widely investigated for their great potential as competitive adsorbents and catalysts in different areas, due to their ordered and uniform porous structures and high surface area. In order to increase the availability of these materials, the need to granulate them becomes vital for an efficient performance in industrial units. This study reports the production and characterization of clay-free granules of SBA-15 mesoporous silica, by applying the extrusion technique. The suggested methodology uses only methocel as the organic binder, which is removed after calcination. The granulation process was successfully achieved, producing pure granules of SBA-15 mesoporous silica, in size of millimeters, with 8.3 MPa of compacting pressure (by axial crushing test). The surface area and pore volume of SBA-15 mesoporous silica granules (calcined at 800 ºC) were around 392 m2/g and 0.53 cm3/g, respectively.