Mesoporous carbonates and method of making

Abstract

Mesoporous metal carbonate structures are formed by providing a solution containing a non-ionic surfactant and a calcium acetate salt, adding sufficient base to react with the acidic byproducts to be formed by the addition of carbon dioxide, and adding carbon dioxide, thereby forming a mesoporous metal carbonate structure containing the metal from said metal salt.

We claim:  
     
         1  A method for making a mesoporous metal carbonate structure comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a solution containing a non-ionic surfactant and a metal salt having an organic counter ion,  
 b. adding sufficient base to react with the acidic byproducts to be formed by the addition of carbon dioxide, and  
 c. adding carbon dioxide, thereby forming a mesoporous metal carbonate structure containing the metal from said metal salt.  
 
     
     
         2  The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as an alkaline earth metal.  
     
     
         3  The method of  claim 2  further comprising the step of selecting said alkaline earth metal from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra.  
     
     
         4  The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as a transition metal.  
     
     
         5  The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of selecting said transition metal from the group consisting of Ni, Ti, and Zn.  
     
     
         6  The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as an alkali metal.  
     
     
         7  The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of selecting said alkali metal as Li.  
     
     
         8  The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of removing any residual non-ionic surfactant and organic counter ion by exposing the mesoporous metal carbonate structure to a solvent.  
     
     
         9  The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of removing any residual non-ionic surfactant and organic counter ion by exposing the mesoporous metal carbonate structure to a solvent selected as supercritical carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         10  A mesoporous metal carbonate structure having pores between about 1 nanometer and about 150 nanometers.  
     
     
         11  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 10  wherein said metal is selected as an alkaline earth metal.  
     
     
         12  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 11  wherein said alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra.  
     
     
         13  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 10  wherein said metal is selected as a transition metal.  
     
     
         14  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 13  wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ti, and Zn.  
     
     
         15  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 10  wherein said metal is selected as an alkali metal.  
     
     
         16  The mesoporous metal carbonate structure of  claim 15  wherein said alkali metal is selected as Li.  
     
     
         17  A method for making a mesoporous metal carbonate structure comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a solution containing a non-ionic surfactant and a calcium acetate salt,  
 b. adding sufficient base to react with the acidic byproducts to be formed by the addition of carbon dioxide, and  
 c. adding carbon dioxide, thereby forming a mesoporous metal carbonate structure containing the metal from said metal salt.  
 
     
     
         18  The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as an alkaline earth metal.  
     
     
         19  The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of selecting said alkaline earth metal from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra.  
     
     
         20  The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as a transition metal.  
     
     
         21  The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of selecting said transition metal from the group consisting of Ni, Ti, and Zn.  
     
     
         22  The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of selecting said metal as an alkali metal.  
     
     
         23  The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of selecting said alkali metal as Li.  
     
     
         24  The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of removing any residual non-ionic surfactant and organic counter ion by exposing the mesoporous metal carbonate structure to a solvent.  
     
     
         25  The method of  claim 24  further comprising the step of removing any residual non-ionic surfactant and organic counter ion by exposing the mesoporous metal carbonate structure to a solvent selected as supercritical carbon dioxide.