Acidity-regulated synthesis of a bifunctional mesoporous silica composite with simultaneously enhanced adsorption and catalytic performance

An Al/Cu bifunctional mesoporous silica was successfully synthesized through an acidity-regulated method. AlCl 3 instead of HCl was served as catalyst for the hydrolysis and condensation of siliceous source and forming the mesostructure. Cu and Al species were then feasibly incorporated into the matrix of mesoporous SiO 2 under the mildly acidic conditions. The obtained Al/Cu-SiO 2 bifunctional composite preserves structural ordering of the mesopores. Al is highly dispersed and Cu nanoparticles of ca. 54 nm are decorated on Al/Cu-SiO 2 . The Al/Cu-SiO 2 material presents large adsorption capacity, remarkable catalytic behavior and good cycling performance in the degradation of organic methylene blue from aqueous solutions.