Improvement of both the acidity and stability of MCM-41 by post-synthesis alumination

Post-synthesis alumination of MCM-41 is found to substantially enhance the material's: (1) surface acidity, by increasing its number of Lewis and Bron sted acid sites; (2) physical stability, by improving its hydrothermal stab ility in boiling water and in high-temperature steam; (3) mechanical stabil ity, by minimizing the collapse of its mesopores under high pressure compre ssion; and (4) chemical stability, by improving its resistance in high pH a queous solution.