Synthesis of mesoporous silica from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) by using sodium ricinoleic as a template and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APMS) as a co-structure directing agents (CDSA) in a volume variation of acid addition has been carried out. Preparation of mesoporous silica was conducted in HCl 0.1 M at volume variations of 2 ml, 35 ml, 40 ml and 50 ml. In acid conditions, the amine groups of APMS will protonate, which will then interact electrostatically with the carboxylate groups from ricinoleic acid, while the methoxy groups from APMS will condense with the silanol groups from TEOS to form an end product of mesoporous silica. The reaction products were characterized by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectrometer (FTIR), surface area analyzer (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). X-ray diffractograms of the products from all of the acid volume variation additions show broadening peaks indicating amorphous materials as a characteristic of mesoporous materials. Infrared spectra show that all of the products have Si-OH and Si-O-Si groups that are characteristics for mesoporous silica. Imaging results from SEM and TEM show morphology and particle size differences in accordance with the differences in volume variation of acid addition. Adsorption/desorption isotherm by using nitrogen at 77 K of the products from the addition of 2 ml of HCl show an isotherm Type II (adsorption on the surface layer) with irregular pore size distribution, whereas from the addition of 30 ml, 35 ml, 40 ml and 50 ml HCl show an isotherm Type IV with a hysteresis loop that is characteristic for mesoporous materials with a regular pore size distribution.
