Silica-pillared layered manganese oxide with high surface area and high thermal stability
was first synthesized from birnessite(H)-type manganese oxide by intercalation of octylamine
followed by tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) molecules and then by solvothermal treatment
in TEOS liquid. Layered phases of manganese oxide with basal spacings of 2.01 and 2.43
nm, respectively, were obtained for each intercalation reaction. The Si/Mn molar ratio
increased from 0.63 to 0.84 by the solvothermal treatment, but the basal spacing (2.44 nm)
of the layer barely increased. The increase of silica content stabilized the pillared structure
against thermal treatment. Porous layered manganese oxides were obtained by heating the
silica-pillared material at appropriate temperatures. The manganese oxide sample obtained
at 400 °C had a BET surface area of 260 m2/g with a gallery height of about 1.6 nm between
layers.