Synthesis and characterization of an unusual lamellar aluminophosphate synthesized from an alcohol system
Abstract
An unusual lamellar aluminophosphate [Al4P2O11·2C6H13NH2·4H2O]·3H2O was synthesized from a mixture of H3PO4, Al(OPri)3, ethylene glycol and an unbranched primary alcohol. It was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared, magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis. It is composed of PO4, AlO4 and AlO6 structural units, and the ratio of octahedral to tetrahedral Al in the as-synthesized compound is about 1:1. This material exhibits a very large weight loss at elevated temperatures. Upon dehydration it possesses a considerable water adsorption capacity. The water adsorption isotherm is linear. Of the seven water molecules in the empirical formula, four are co-ordinated to the Al atoms and the other three are located between adjacent layers.