Mesoporous molecular sieve with Al-promoted sulfated rirconia (SZA) based strong solid acid nano-particles within its mesoporous channels was synthesized by using a one-step incipient wetness impregnation method with zirconium sulfate and aluminum sulfate as the precursors. The assemblies of SZA/MCM-41 were obtained by thermal decomposition of the precursors in air.The resultant composite was characterized with various techniques such as nitrogen physisorption

X-ray diffraction

SEM and TEM. It was shown that the well-ordered channels of MCM-41 arranged in hexagonal arrays as well as the hollow tubular morphology was retained. The strong solid acid nanoparticles were isolated born each other and highly

dispersed in the channels. Nitrogen sorption showed the expected decrease in pore volume. The catalytic activity of SZA/MCM-41 composite in the isomerization of n-butane was dramatically improved in comparison to bulk SZA or SZA/silica.