Synthesis of Large Mesoporous-Macroporous and High Pore Volume, Mixed Crystallographic Phase Manganese Oxide, Mn2O3/Mn3O4 Sponge.

The controlled synthesis of mixed crystallographic phase Mn2O3/Mn3O4 sponge material by varying heating rates and isothermal segments provides valuable information about the morphological and physical properties of the obtained sample. The well-characterized Mn2O3/Mn3O4 sponge and applicability of difference in reactivity of H2 and CO2 desorbed during the synthesis provide new developments in the synthesis of metal oxide materials with unique morphological and surface properties. We report the preparation of a Mn2O3/Mn3O4 sponge using a metal nitrate salt, water, and Dextran, a biopolymer consisting of glucose monomers. The Mn2O3/Mn3O4 sponge prepared at 1 °C·min-1 heating rate to 500 °C and held isothermally for 1 h consisted of large mesopores-macropores (25.5 nm, pore diameter) and a pore volume of 0.413 mL/g. Furthermore, the prepared Mn2O3/Mn3O4 and 5 mol %-Fe-Mn2O3/Mn3O4 sponges provide potential avenues in the development of solid-state catalyst materials for alcohol and amine oxidation reactions.