Non aqueous loading of the mesoporous siliceous MCM-48 matrix with ZnO: A comparison of solution, liquid and gas-phase infiltration using diethyl zinc as organometallic precursor

Zinc oxide species hosted in the siliceous matrix MCM-48 were prepared by an organometallic route using ZnEt ₂ as the ZnO precursor. Gas phase as well as liquid phase infiltration of the precursor was studied in detail by ICP-AES, FT-RAIRS, ¹H- and ¹³C-MAS-NMR, PXRD, TEM/EDX and UV-VIS. Highly loaded ZnO@MCM-48 materials with a Zn-content of up to 29.6 wt% were synthesized. A comparison of the different preparation techniques was carried out in order to find a convenient way of preparing ZnO@MCM-48 species for catalytic applications.