Abstract: Synthetic saponites have been intercalated with hydroxyl aluminium oligomers and characterized with several techniques. The basal 001 peak of the pillared saponite (PS) is 1. 8 nm. The amount of the aluminium in the tctrahedral sheet is correlative with cross-linking density. The sheet-to-pillar linkage mode may be Si-O-Alp^Ⅵ. The acid sites in pillared saponite may locate either at surface of clay or at that of pillar. The cumene conversion is relative to accessible acid sites on the surface of PS. The pillar density in the PS has an effect on the pore structure which is correlative with shape selectivity during the reaction between ethanol and ammonia.

Key words: Saponite, Cross-linking, MAS-NMR, Catalysis