Effects of organic templates on the structural properties of porous clay heterostructures: a non-micellar template model for porous structure

In this study, a series of surfactants with different chain lengths were used to investigate the effect of organic templates on the structural properties of porous clay heterostructures (PCH). The variation tendencies of structural properties and chemical component were characterized by X-ray diffraction, CHN elemental analysis, major element analysis, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption at −196 °C. Non-local density functional theory was employed to characterize pore size distributions in both micropore and mesopore regions owing to the bi-model pore structures of PCH. The major textural parameters of PCH samples increased with increasing the chain length and the intercalated amount of template agent, while the most probable pore size remained unchanged around 1.3–1.4 nm. Based on the structural and chemical component results of PCH, a non-micellar template model was presented to explain the formation mechanism of porous structure. By the extrusion and occupation of polymerizate of TEOS within interlayer, a fixed number of hydrocarbon chains congregate together to form surfactant aggregates (template). The aggregates with different chain lengths cause the increase of pore volume in depth dimension rather than in diameter. The obtained results also shed some light on the different roles of inorganic base clay and organic template agents in the formation of porous structure. Montmorillonite as the inorganic host supplies the space for pillaring reaction and controls the arrangement of template agent within interlayer. As the template agent and modifying agent, the cationic surfactant is the dominant factor in forming pores relative to amine. The neutral amine mainly serves as catalyst for the polymerization of TEOS besides its co-template effect.