Adsorption and structural properties of channel-like and cage-like organosilicas

Channel-like and cage-like mesoporous silicas, SBA-15 (P6mm symmetry group) and SBA-16 (Im3m symmetry group), were modified by introducing single ureidopropyl surface groups, mixed ureidopropyl and mercaptopropyl surface groups, and single bis(propyl)disulfide bridging groups. These hexagonal and cubic organosilicas were prepared under acidic conditions via co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and proper organosilanes using poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) amphiphilic block copolymer templates, P123 (EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀) and F127 (EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆). The modified SBA-15 and SBA-16 materials were synthesized by varying the molar ratio of organosilane to TEOS in the initial synthesis gel. The removal of polymeric templates, P123 and F127, was performed with ethanol/hydrochloric acid solution. In the case of SBA-15 the P123 template was fully extracted, whereas this extraction process was less efficient for the removal of F127 template from the SBA-16-type organosilicas; in the latter case a small residue of F127 was retained. The adsorption and structural properties of the resulting materials were studied by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms at −196^∘C (surface area, pore size distribution, pore volumes), powder X-Ray diffraction, CHNS elemental analysis and high-resolution thermogravimetry. The structural ordering, the BET specific surface area, pore volume and pore size decreased for both channel-like and cage-like mesoporous organosilicas with increasing concentration of incorporated organic groups.     

碳化物修饰的有序介孔炭的制备及其催化肼分解性能

 以间苯二酚和甲醛为炭源, F127 (EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆) 为结构导向剂, 在酸性水/乙醇溶液中引入 (NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄•4H₂O 或 (NH₄)₂WO₄ 溶液, 经静置自组装形成凝胶, 再于 N₂ 中焙烧即合成出金属碳化物修饰的有序介孔炭材料. 结果表明, 金属离子的种类和用量对碳化物的分散度和介孔炭的有序度影响很大. 通过控制金属离子的用量可制备出粒径为 3~5 nm 且高度分散在介孔炭骨架中的碳化物粒子. 与分步浸渍法相比, 一步法制备的碳化物具有更高的分散度和催化肼分解活性.     

The effect of recrystallization time on pore size and surface area of mesoporous SBA-15

Triblock copolymer, pluronic P123 (EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀) was used as the structure directing agent for the simple synthesis and characterization of mesoporous SBA-15 with various porosities. Extending the sample recrystallization time, after the initial synthesis and ageing, seems to have a significant effect on the pore size. It also leads to an increase in the surface area and a narrow pore size distribution. The prepared materials could find applications in areas where the diffusion of large molecules is important, and in catalysis, where greater pore accessibility would enhance the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. A possible mechanism has been proposed to describe the effect of extended recrystallization on pore sizes.     

可用于色谱固定相的介孔氧化硅球材料的合成

采用非离子型嵌段高分子表面活性剂EO₂₀PO₃₀EO₂₀ (P65)为结构导向剂, 正硅酸乙酯为硅源, 在酸性介质中, 静置法制备了微米级介孔氧化硅球. 通过改变合成温度、反应时间或者无机盐KCl的加入量, 可以调节介孔氧化硅球的直径(9.0～17.6 μm); 加入1,3,5-三甲苯(TMB)或者调节水热温度, 可以调节介孔氧化硅球的孔径(2.3～4.8 nm). 采用X射线衍射(XRD)、N₂吸附-脱附、扫描电镜(SEM)、激光散射粒度分布和对溶菌酶的吸附等方法, 对介孔氧化硅球的结构、孔性质、形貌、吸附性质等进行了表征. 实验发现, 孔径较小的介孔氧化硅球(≤4.3 nm)对溶菌酶的吸附不明显(≤42 mg/g), 而孔径(4.8 nm)大于溶菌酶直径的材料对溶菌酶有较大的吸附量(192 mg/g), 说明孔径均匀可调的介孔氧化硅球材料可以很好地用作体积排阻色谱柱的固定相.     

The aggregation behavior of poly-(oxyethylene)-poly-(oxypropylene)-poly-(oxyethylene)-block-copolymers in aqueous solution

Aqueous solutions of blockcopolymers, consisting of a polyoxypropyleneblock (POP) with a polyoxyethylene-block (POE) at each side, were studied using surface and interfacial tension measurements, static and dynamic light scattering and smallangle neutron scattering techniques, electric birefringence, rheological and DSC-measurements. The compounds were commercial samples and had an approximate average composition EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀, EO₁₈PO₅₈EO₁₈, and EO₁₀₆PO₆₉EO₁₀₆. All three compounds formed micelles above a critical concentration. The size of the micellar core is determined by the length of the hydrophobic poly-propyleneoxide block. The transfer energy of a propyleneoxide unit from the aqueous to the micellar phase is about 0.3 kT at room temperature and hence a quarter of the corresponding value for a CH₂-group.The aggregation number of the micelles increases strongly with increasing temperature while the hydrodynamic radius remains constant in first approximation. The smallangle neutron scattering (SANS) data show at higher concentrations a strong correlation peak. Both the SANS- and the light-scattering data can be interpreted on the basis of the theory of hard sphere particles.Solutions with a volume fraction beyond about 0.2 gellifie when the temperature is raised above a characteristic value that is at the lowest concentrations slightly above room temperature, shift to lower values with increasing concentrations. Below this gelation temperature DSC-measurements show a phase transition with enthalpies between 40J/g and 80J/g, which is probably due to the dehydration of the PO-groups; this transition can also be observed at low concentrations where no gelation takes place. The position of the correlation peak of the SANS-data is not affected by the gel formation. Some samples, however, show clear evidence of long-range order and seem therefore to consist of cubic liquid crystalline phases. The shear moduli of the gels can qualitatively be understood on the basis of hard sphere models.     

Soft-templating synthesis and adsorption properties of mesoporous carbons with embedded silver nanoparticles

Mesoporous carbons containing silver nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized under acidic conditions by employing resorcinol and formaldehyde as carbon precursors and triblock copolymer EO₁₀₁PO₅₆EO₁₀₁ (Lutrol F127) as a soft template. Silver nanoparticles of ∼90 nm were added to the synthesis mixture to achieve 10 wt% and 20 wt% of Ag loading in the carbon. Also, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was introduced to the system in order to improve adsorption properties of the silver-carbon composites and to reinforce its structure. The resulting carbons with incorporated silver nanoparticles featured high surface areas, large total pore volumes and primary mesopores in the range between ∼6–7 nm.     

Mesoporous Titania Thin Film with Highly Ordered and Fully Accessible Vertical Pores and Crystalline Walls

We report the preparation of mesoporous titania thin films with the R m pore structure derived from the Im m self‐assembled ordering of the titania species and an EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆ triblock copolymer. The films were spin‐cast and then aged at 18 °C at a relative humidity of 70 %, which led to the orientation of the Im m structure with the [111] direction perpendicular to the substrates. The [111] body‐diagonal channels became vertical channels upon calcination at 400 °C, thus leading to thin films with vertical channels. The pores are ordered over a large area of up to 1 μm². The titania films can be formed on various types of substrates. By using a titania film formed on a Pt‐coated Si wafer as a template, we produced by an electrochemical‐deposition technique arrays of gold nanowires, whose morphology suggests that most of the pores of the titania thin films are accessible. The pore structure of vertical channels is stable up to 600 °C, at which temperature the wall materials crystallize into anatase.     

Polymer-templated organosilicas with hexagonally ordered mesopores: the effect of organosilane addition at different synthesis stages

Two series of ordered mesoporous organosilica (OMO) SBA-15 materials with surface and bridging groups were fabricated by varying the organic precursor addition at different synthesis stages. The consequence of the delayed introduction of organic precursor on the structural and adsorption properties of the resulting OMOs was investigated. The OMOs studied were synthesized via co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and ureidopropyltrimethoxysilane (UPS) as well as TEOS and bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) disulfide (BTDS) in the presence of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)- poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 (EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀). The aforementioned OMOs were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms at −196 °C and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Nitrogen adsorption isotherms were used to estimate the pore volume, mesopore diameter and the BET specific surface area, whereas the XRD data provided information about structural ordering and unit cell of the samples studied. Ryan Felix, undergraduate student from Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH, USA) participating in the NSF-REU program during Summer 2006.     

Aqueous foam stabilized by polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether

Foaming properties of aqueous solutions of the nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C₁₂EO _n ) were studied at 298 K. Four different EO chain lengths, namely C₁₂EO₃, C₁₂EO₅, C₁₂EO₇, and C₁₂EO₉, were considered. The foams obtained from C₁₂EO₃ or C₁₂EO₅ were extraordinary stable retaining a constant volume for more than 20 h. The presence of lamellar liquid crystalline phases was mainly responsible for the super-stable aqueous foams.     

Phase behavior and rheology of oil-swollen micellar cubic phase and gel emulsions in nonionic surfactant systems

We have studied the phase behavior and rheological property of the cubic phase and related gel emulsions in water/nonionic/dodecane systems. In the phase behavior study, it is pointed out that the formation of the discontinuous cubic phase (I₁) is not common in all nonionic surfactant systems; however, a cubic phase (I₁) with oil-swollen micelles or a cubic phase microemulsion is found in the water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane system, which can solubilize large amount of oil. It was also observed that water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane system forms stable gel emulsion. In the rheological study we have found an anomalous behavior of the I₁ phase in the water/C₁₂EO₆/dodecane and the water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane systems. In the water/C₁₂EO₆/dodecane system, the viscoelastic nature of the I₁ phase has been observed, which is shifted to the elastic nature with the addition of dodecane, whereas, highly elastic nature was observed in the water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane system. In both the cases shear-thinning behavior were seen. The elastic modulus, G′ and complex viscosity, |η1| of the I₁ phase increase with the dodecane concentration in the water/C₁₂EO₆/dodecane system, whereas, decreasing trend have been observed in the water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane system. This anomalous behavior is suggested due to the nonspherical shape of micelles or polydispersity of the micelles in the water/C₁₆EO₆/dodecane system. The rheological behavior of the O/I₁ gel emulsion was also studied in both the systems.     

High-Yield Synthesis of Gold Microplates Using Amphiphilic Block Copolymers: Are Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Required?

Summary : High-yield synthesis of gold microplates is achieved through autoreduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaureate (III) hydrate (HAuCl₄ · 3H₂O) in aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer (Pluronic L64, EO₁₃PO₃₀EO₁₃) at ambient conditions, in the absence of added energy, reductant, or other surfactants. The formation by the amphiphilic block copolymer of lyotropic liquid crystals (e.g., ordered cylindrical/hexagonal or lamellar phases) is not required for templating the formation of such microplates.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Ordered Mesoporous Silica Spheres Using Anionic and Nonionic Mixed Surfactants for Their Potential Application in LC

Ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs) with spherical morphology were synthesized by using mixed surfactants of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate and nonionic block copolymer EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀ (P123) as template through an acid-catalyzed silica sol?Cgel process. A variety of characterizations demonstrated that the silica products exhibited well-formed spherical morphology, ordered mesostructure, narrow pore size distribution and large surface area (~700 m² g^?1). It was found that the synthesized OMSs had high adsorption capacity by using oxymatrine as model solute. The column packed with the silica spheres exhibited low back pressure and baseline separation of aromatic compounds such as benzene and nitrobenzene could be achieved. These results demonstrated the synthesized OMSs as a potential stationary phase for liquid chromatography.     

General Information to Obtain Spherical Particles with Ordered Mesoporous Structures

Conditions for the synthesis of aluminum organophosphonate (AOP) and aluminophosphate (AlPO) spheres containing periodic mesopores were optimized and demonstrated to be general morphological controls for the surfactant‐assisted synthesis of mesoporous materials. High‐quality AOP and AlPO spheres with uniform mesopores were obtained at low and high temperatures, respectively. The aerosol‐assisted synthesis of materials with uniform mesopores was categorized by using the difference in relative density of soluble AOP and AlPO oligomers that interact with ethylene oxide (EO) units in EO_nPO_mEO_n triblock copolymer (PO=propylene oxide). Then, ordered mesoporous structures are constructed with the adequate amount of species in resultant frameworks, and the number of interactive points in soluble species determines the resultant density of the frameworks after self‐assembly. Consequently, temperature‐dependent synthesis, which allows controlled infiltration of soluble species to match the density of resultant frameworks, is required for the formation of ordered mesoporous structures under morphological control.     

Chirally Functionalized Hollow Nanospheres Containing L‐Prolinamide: Synthesis and Asymmetric Catalysis

Chirally functionalized hollow nanospheres with different surface properties were successfully synthesized by co‐condensation of (2S,1′R,2′R)‐N‐tert‐butyloxycarbonylpyrrolidine‐2‐carboxylic acid [2′‐(4‐trimethoxysilylbenzylamide)cyclohexyl] amide with 1,2‐bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane or tetramethoxysilane using F127 (EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆) as surfactant in water. The TEM and N₂ sorption characterizations show that the particle size of the hollow nanosphere is 15–21 nm with a core diameter of 10–16 nm. These L ‐prolinamide‐functionalized hollow nanospheres are highly efficient solid catalysts for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction between cyclohexanone and aromatic aldehydes. It was found that the addition of water in the reaction system not only enhanced the catalytic activity but also increased the enantioselectivity, which is probably due to the enhanced hydrogen bond between the amide oxygen atom and the hydroxyl group of water. Moreover, the catalytic activity increases sharply as the surface hydrophobicity of the hollow nanospheres increases. These hollow nanospheres are quite stable and can be reused with almost the same enantioselectivity and only a slight decrease in catalytic activity.     

纳米TiO2介孔薄膜的模板组装制备研究

以TiCl₄为无机前驱体、三嵌段高分子共聚物EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀为模板剂，在非水条件下制备了有序的锐钛矿TiO₂纳米晶介孔薄膜。通过热重-差热（TG-DTA）分析、X射线衍射（XRD）分析、原子力显微观察（AFM）及N₂吸附-脱附等测试对样品进行了表征。结果表明，薄膜具有均一的大介孔孔径（～10 nm），其BET比表面积为150 m²·g^-1，薄膜较宽的无机壁厚显著提高了介孔结构的热稳定性。通过红外（IR）光谱分析考察了溶胶-凝胶过程中发生的物理化学变化。在对薄膜表面形貌进行AFM观察的基础上初步探讨了嵌段共聚物EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀对薄膜孔结构形成的导向机理。     

Microcalorimetric Study on Interaction between PEO‐PPO‐PEO Triblock Copolymers and Sodium Dodecyl Trioxyethylenated Sulfonate in Aqueous Solutions

Interactions between three triblock copolymers of poly (ethylene oxide)‐poly (propylene oxide)‐poly (ethylene oxide), EO_mPO_nEO_m, and the ionic surfactant sodium dodecyl trioxyethylenated sulfonate, C₁₂E₃S, in aqueous solutions were investigated with titration microcalorimetry at 293.15 K. Values of enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of interaction have been derived. The thermodynamic data indicate that interactions between EO_mPO_nEO_m and C₁₂E₃S decrease with the increase of m/n.     

A structural study of the mesophases of two oxyethylene alkyl ether-decane-water systems,a comparison between technical grade C12EO〈7〉 and pure C12EO6

As part of a study polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers (C _m EO _n ), water and decane, the phase diagram and the structures of the mesophases of pure C₁₂EO₆ and technical grade C₁₂EO₇ were compared. The constructed phase diagrams of the two systems show a great resemblance except for one difference: the viscous isotropic phase is only present in the C₁₂EO₆ phase diagram.The swelling behavior of the lamellar and hexagonal phases was studied with smallangle x-ray scattering. Both the lamellar and hexagonal phases showed an ideal swelling behavior and no differences between the lamellar and hexagonal phases of the two systems were detected.With freeze-fracture electron microscopy the hexagonal and lamellar phases were visualized. No differences in the textures of the lamellar phases were found, however, the micrographs of the hexagonal phases of the two systems clearly showed different textures. While in the hexagonal phase of the C₁₂EO₆ system only infinite long rods were visualized, short interrupted rods were found in the hexagonal phase of the C₁₂EO₇ system.     

Fabrication of ZnO Nanorods in Colloidal Systems Formed by PEO‐PPO‐PEO Block Copolymers

One‐dimensional (1‐D) ZnO nanorods with various sizes were synthesized in colloidal systems formed by PEO‐PPO‐PEO block copolymers. The experimental results revealed that the growth of ZnO nanorods was dependent on the molecular structure of polyether. It was known that L64 (EO₁₃PO₃₀EO₁₃) and F68 (EO₈₀PO₃₀EO₈₀) had the same size PPO block but different content of PEO. We concluded that the size of the ZnO products obtained in F68 was larger due to its longer PEO chain.     

Phase Behavior of Poly(Oxyethylene)–Poly(Oxypropylene)–Poly(Oxyethylene) Block Copolymer in Water and Water–C12EO5 Systems

Abstract

The binary phase diagram of a triblock copolymer poly(oxyethylene) (PEO) poly(oxypropylene) (PPO) poly(oxyethylene) (PEO), (PEO)₃₇(PPO)₅₈(PEO)₃₇ or P105 in water and the ternary system of P105, water, and pentaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C₁₂EO₅) has been studied to understand the miscibility of a small amphiphile, C₁₂EO₅ and a copolymer, as well as the mixing effect on the formed liquid crystalline structures. Phase diagrams, small angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize these systems. The phase diagram of the binary system is presented together with the characteristic parameters for founded phases, namely, cubic, hexagonal, and lamellar phases. In the ternary system it was found that the small amphiphile and the block copolymer, despite having very different chain lengths are essentially miscible forming single phases. A large amount of C₁₂EO₅ can be solubilized in the P105 aggregates whereas P105 is most difficult to dissolve in the C₁₂EO₅ aggregates because of the difference in the molecular size. The copolymer is practically insoluble in the lamellar phase of C₁₂EO₅ due to the packing constraint. Hence, two lamellar phases coexist in a surfactant‐rich region, at W _s  = 0.66, where W _s is the weight fraction of the total amphiphile in the system. This indicates that the thickness of the lipophilic part of the C₁₂EO₅ lamellar phase is too small to allocate the large lipophilic chain of the P105 triblock copolymer.     

Identification of photocatalytic degradation products of non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactants in wastewaters by solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric detection

The photodegradation of non-ionic surfactants (nonylphenol- and alcohol-polyethoxylates, NPEO_x and C_nEO_x) was investigated in different waters with and without a photoinducter (Fe(III)). Deionized water and industrial effluent spiked at 0.5 mg/L with C₁₀EO₆ and NPEO₉ were irradiated using a xenon arc lamp. Aliquots of the test solutions were taken at different time intervals and were preconcentrated using solid phase extraction (SPE) with C₁₈ cartridges. Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) was used to identify the chemical species generated from phototransformation of non-ionic surfactants. 2 ) and nonylphenol ethoxy acetic acid (NPE₂C). Much smaller amounts of degradation products of NPEO₉ having only the alkyl chain carboxylated were also formed in the photocatalysis experiment. The identified C₁₀EO₆ photoproducts included fatty alcohols and acids. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) were also formed as the consequence of the central scission of C₁₀EO₆ and the deethoxylation of NPEO₉. The photodegradation in wastewater samples was more efficient than in deionized water being the half-life (t_1/2) of C₁₀EO₆, 48 h and 29 h in deionized water and wastewater, respectively, and for NPEO₉, 17 h and 14 h in deionized water and wastewater, respectively. When induced photodegradation was undertaken, the t_1/2 for NPEO₉ was 21 min and 29 min in deionized water and wastewater, respectively. Disappearance of parent compounds was observed after 120 h from the beginning of the photodegradation experiment, or after 210 min of irradiation for the photocatalysis. Received: 27 September 2000 / Revised: 11 January 2001 / Accepted: 14 January 2001