Positive effects of the residual templates within the MCM-41 mesoporous silica channels in the metal-catalyzed reactions

Abstract

As-synthesized Pd/MCM-41 and Au/MCM-41 including the residual SDA organic templates, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr), within the mesoporous channels exhibit superior catalytic activities than the conventionally calcined ones without templates, owing to the stabilizing effect of metal nanoparticles, concentration effect of organic substrates and co-catalyst effect due to the basic properties.