Patent ID: 7052665

Claim:
A method for preparing a mesoporous silica material comprising the steps of: a) providing an aqueous solution of a non-ionic surfactant; b) adding an aqueous solution of sodium silicate solution to the solution of step (a) at a temperature of about 12° C. to about 28° C. with stirring for at least two hours to form a homogeneous solution; c) adding a sulphuric acid solution at concentration of at least 80% by weight to the homogeneous solution obtained in step (b) with stirring to form a gel mixture; d) aging the gel mixture obtained in step (c) by stirring the mixture at a pH lower than 2 and at a temperature of at least 10° C. for a period of about 1 to 36 hours and subsequently heating the mixture for at least 24 hours at a temperature of at least 60° C. to increase silanol group condensation, thereby forming a solid precipitate; e) recovering the precipitate obtained in step (d); f) treating the precipitate recovered in step (e) with water at a temperature of about 60° C. to about 135° C. and at about neutral pH to remove residual surfactant and complete silanol group condensation; and g) calcining said treated precipitate of step (f) to remove any remaining surfactant.