High-energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation, a facile modification approach, was applied to modify the pore size distribution of diatomite and improve the quality of diatomite as a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that HEEB irradiation modified the pore size distribution of diatomite due to etching, Coulomb explosion and thermal effects. The BET specific surface area, X-ray diffraction and catalytic performance results indicated that pore structure modification improved the micro-properties of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of catalysts prepared from treated diatomite. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.