Abstract
Periodic mesoporous aluminum phosphonate (PMAP) materials with homogeneously integrated organophosphonate bridging groups inside the hybrid framework were synthesized by an autoclaving process using ethylene diamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) as the coupling molecule, with the assistance of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The prepared aluminum phosphonates possessed a high specific surface area of 511 m(2) g(-1) and a typical hexagonal mesophase, thus guaranteeing the considerable uptake capacity for loading Co2+ ions through coordination interaction. The monolayered adsorption behavior of Co2+ was confirmed, and the Co2+-loaded PMAP could be further utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst for oxidizing decomposition of phenol in the presence of peroxymonosulfate, with favorable kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics. It is suggested that the functionalities of metal phosphonate organic-inorganic hybrids could be rationally designed by judiciously selecting precursors and post-modification, making them potentially applicable in environmental remediation and catalysis.