A composite surfactant route for the synthesis of thermally stable and hierarchically porous zirconia with a nanocrystallized framework

The synthesis of thermally stable and hierarchically porous zirconia with a nanocrystallized framework and in the presence of a composite surfactants, was presented. The process results in fabrication of hierarchical meso/macroporous architectures. The surfactants are found to important in organizing the inorganic species into a variety of mesoporous forms via self-assembly or a cooperative process. The product in the form of porous zirconium oxide can be applied to heterogeneous catalysis, and is applicable as catalytic support, adsorbents, and chemical sensors.