Intercalation of pseudo-boehmite: a novel preparation route to microporous Al–Ti oxide

Intercalation of titanium (IV) bislactato dihydroxide (TBLH) by noncrystalline pseudo-boehmite, AlOOH, was found to proceed successfully at room temperature by forming unidentate and bridging-type coordination of carboxylate groups to Al ions. The intercalation is likely driven by the partial substitution of TBLH for OH groups in the interlayer. Although the SEM observation indicated that the solids after heating at 300–500 °C were consisted of large grains of several micrometers in diameter, their surface areas were more than 300 m2 g−1. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm and t-plot exhibit that the calcined product is basically microporous and no pores larger than 2 nm in radius are formed.