Valorization of silica-based residues for the synthesis of ordered mesoporous silicas and their applications

The demand for green and economically viable processes has stimulated the search for new technologies in the field of materials sciences, boosting the research and development of Ordered Mesoporous Silicas (OMSs) using low-cost starting reagents. This review intends to provide an overview of research and its contributions to the production of OMSs from silica-containing alternative/waste feedstocks. The main obstacles to the production of high quality OMSs are the high production costs and the issue of environmental contamination. Waste utilization plays an important role in reducing the costs of these synthesis processes and in reducing environmental impacts by reusing materials that have no other applications, such as mining and agro-industrial waste, in addition to clay and mineral waste, among others. © 2023