小角X射线散射方法测定二氧化硅干凝胶的平均孔径

提出了当多孔体系的小角X射线散射不遵守Porod定理的情况下,应用Debye法(相关函数法) 和Guinier法(逐级切线法和多级斜线法)计算它们的平均孔径的方法.对不同制备条件下部分 二氧化硅干凝胶的测试,取得了比较一致的结果,并与氮气吸附法测定结果进行了对比. 关键词： 小角X射线散射 二氧化硅干凝胶 平均孔径     

Fluorescent monodisperse spherical particles based on mesoporous silica containing rhodamine 6G

Fluorescent monodisperse spherical silica (SiO₂) particles with a regular mesoporous structure containing encapsulated Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye have been synthesized. The as-synthesized particles have been coated with SiO₂ and SiO₂-CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, C₁₆H₃₃N(CH₃)₃Br) shells in order to prevent uncontrolled release of the dye from pores. The kinetics of R6G release from the pores of silica particles has been studied. It has been found that the particles synthesized by adding CTAB and R6G to the reaction mixture, as well as the particles coated with the SiO₂-CTAB shell, are characterized by the maximum duration of dye release from the pores, which is probably associated with the formation of chemical bonds between R6G and CTAB molecules.     

小角X射线散射法测定溶胶平均界面厚度

溶胶界面层厚度通常是用Porod法对高角区负偏离的Porod曲线进行拟合求算,但本文研究表明还可通过分别测定Porod负偏离校正前后体系粒子的平均半径之差而获得平均界面厚度.应用上述方法测定了在不同制备条件下制备的二氧化硅溶胶的平均界面厚度 关键词： 小角X射线散射 溶胶 平均界面厚度     

Investigation of surface heterogeneity in thermally treated controlled porous glasses and systems silica gels/borate crystals by means of the SAXS method

Heating of controlled porous glass (CPG) in the temperature range 400–700°C leads not only to a dehydroxylation process of the surface but also brings about a diffusion of the boron atoms remaining in the silica network of CPG towards the glass surface. Some authors assume that a along thermal exposure can cause the formation of B₂O₃ crystals in the pores. In this paper the CPGs possessing different mean pore diameters before and after their thermal treatment were investigated by the SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) method. The SAXS method is very useful in such cases because there are two sources of X-ray scattering: pores in glass and crystallites of the borate phase. The presence of these two sources is responsible for the change of the intensity of small angle X-ray scattering in comparison to X-ray scattering of the initial porous glass (without borate crystallites). In consequence, the pore size distribution function, calculated from the SAXS data, does not agree with the analogous one calculated from mercury porosimetric data. For the confirmation of the above artificial systems composed of silica gle with either deposited H₃BO₃ or Na₂B₄O₇ were investigated. It appears from the presented data that there is a possibility to investigate the kinetics of the crystallization process of borate crystallites by means of the SAXS method. SAXS also allows one to control the process of the removal of the borate phase from the pores of CPG. It can be concluded from the obtained results that long time thermal heating causes the formation of borate crystallites in pores of CPG and that these crystallites are xNa₂O·yB₂O₃ (where y ? x) rather than B₂O₃.     

Thermomagnetically Responsive γ‐Fe2O3@Wax@SiO2 Sub‐Micrometer Capsules

A three steps synthesis route is proposed to generate thermosensitive and magnetically responsive γ‐Fe₂O₃@Wax@SiO₂ sub‐micrometer capsules with a paraffinic core and a solid and brittle shell. The process integrates Pickering‐based emulsions, inorganic and sol–gel chemistries to promote monodisperse in size wax droplets, γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles and mineralization of the wax/water interfaces. Hybrid capsules are obtained with an average size around 800 nm, representing the first example of sub‐micrometer capsules generated employing Pickering emulsions as templates. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) cationic surfactant added during mineralization at concentrations between 0.17 and 1.0 wt% impacts the shell density. The shell density seems to improve its mechanical strength while affording a low wax expansion volume without breaking for CTAB concentrations above 1.0 wt%. At lower CTAB concentration (0.17 wt%), the silica shell becomes less bulky and cannot resist the wax dilatation induced by the solid‐to‐liquid phase transition imposed by hyperthermia. The magnetically induced heating provided by the internal magnetic moments is sufficient to melt the wax core, expanding its volume, inducing thereby the surrounding silica shell rupture. Such γ‐Fe₂O₃@Stearic Acid@Wax@SiO₂ sub‐micrometer capsules allow a sustained wax release with time, whereby 20% of the wax is released after 50 min of alternating magnetic field treatment.     

Ultrasonic-assisted ultra-rapid synthesis of monodisperse meso-SiO2@Fe3O4 microspheres with enhanced mesoporous structure

A core–shell-type of meso-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ microsphere was synthesized via an ultrasonic-assisted surfactant-templating process using solvothermal synthesized Fe₃O₄ as core, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as silica source, and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as templates. The samples were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TEM, N₂ adsorption–desorption technology, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results show that as-prepared meso-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄(E) and meso-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄(C) microspheres, treated by acetone extraction and high temperature calcination, respectively, still maintain uniform core–shell structure with desirable mesoporous silica shell. Therein, the meso-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄(E) microspheres possess a distinct pore size distribution in 1.8–3.0 nm with large specific surface area (468.6 m²/g) and pore volume (0.35 cm³/g). Noteworthily, the coating period of this ultrasonic-assisted method (40 min) is much shorter than that of the conventional method (12–24 h). The morphology of microspheres and the mesoporous structure of silica shell are significantly influenced by initial concentration of CTAB (C_CTAB), ultrasonic irradiation power (P) and ultrasonic irradiation time (t). The acceleration roles of ultrasonic irradiation take effect during the whole coating process of mesoporous silica shell, including hydrolysis-condensation process of TEOS, co-assembly of hydrolyzed precursors and CTAB, and deposition of silica oligomers. In addition, the use of ultrasonic irradiation is favorable for improving the homogeneity of silica shell and the monodispersity of meso-SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ microspheres.     

Analysis of adsorption properties of N719 dye molecules on nanoporous TiO2 surface for dye-sensitized solar cell

Ordered nanoporous TiO₂ materials (MK-TiO₂, MS-TiO₂, and MU-TiO₂) were synthesized for the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by using different silica templates such as KIT-6, SBA-15, and MSU-H. To prepare a photoelectrode in DSSC, cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium(II)bis-tetrabutylammonium dye (N719) was adsorbed onto the synthesized nanoporous TiO₂ materials. The samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, AFM, and N₂ adsorption analyses. The photovoltaic performance of DSSC was evaluated from the overall conversion efficiency, fill factor, open-circuit voltage, and short-circuit current from the I-V curves measured. It was found that the photoelectric performance is highly dependent on the adsorption properties of N719 dye molecules on the nanoporous TiO₂ replicas (MK-TiO₂, MS-TiO₂, and MU-TiO₂) synthesized from different silica templates.     

Mesoporous Silica Materials Synthesized via Sol-Gel Methods Modified with Ionic Liquid and Surfactant Molecules

采用离子液体1-甲基-3-丁基咪唑四氟硼酸盐改性的溶胶-凝胶法以及表面活性剂十六烷基三甲基溴化铵进一步改性的溶胶-凝胶法制备介孔二氧化硅. 通过X射线衍射、氮气吸附脱附和扫描电子显微镜对所制备的样品进行表征. 结果表明,与仅用离子液体为模板制备的介孔二氧化硅相比,采用表面活性剂和离子液体的混合物为模板制备的介孔二氧化硅具有较小的孔径和较规则的孔结构. 说明利用该方法制备介孔二氧化硅,表面活性剂的加入会在一定程度上影响所制介孔二氧化硅的微结构.     

Small‐angle Scattering Studies of Adsorption and of Capillary Condensation in Porous Solids

Small‐angle scattering (SAS) studies are reviewed of adsorption and capillary condensation of water, hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons near room temperature, and of nitrogen at 78 K in some mesoporous solids, mainly silicas. The theory needed for the interpretation of SAS data is briefly covered. Calculations of the scattered intensity I(q) for a model porous medium show that I(q) depends markedly on the film thickness t. Adsorption and capillary condensation of nitrogen at 78 K in mesoporous silicas was studied by use of in situ SANS, and t as function of the relative pressure P/P_s was estimated. Adsorption of N₂ in defects within the silica skeleton at P/P_s<0.1 lead to a significant increase in I(q). Isolated vapor bubbles in capillary condensed nitrogen in a Gelsil^® appeared on adsorption near saturation of the pore system. The kinetics of capillary condensation and of drainage were followed. Power law scattering at low q indicated the formation of ramified clusters of voids on drainage of liquid nitrogen from the xerogel Gelsil^®. Similar clusters were observed on drainage of water from Vycor^® glass. Provided the clusters indicate a percolation process, the desorption branch should not be used for the estimation of a pore size distribution for materials with networked pores. The adsorptive smoothing by benzene was observed of a rough interface in a controlled pore glass.     

Investigation of the closed porosity of functional ceramic materials by spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering

The closed porous structure in ceramic materials is investigated by spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering. A series of ceramic samples of oxygen–ion conductors based on bismuth molybdate with the general formula Bi_12.8 X _0.2Mo₅O_{34 ± δ} (X = Mg, Ba, Ca, Sr) is obtained by powder sintering for 6?45 h at a temperature close to the melting point. The samples are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis. It is found that they had a stoichiometric chemical composition, are singlephase, and contain clean pores between crystal grains. The pore size is determined by spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering and ranges from 2.2 to 3.5 μm. It is demonstrated that longer sintering times correspond to larger pores (the increase in their average diameter is as large as 30%). It is found that the studied materials lack a fractal pore structure.     

Nano-sized silica hollow spheres: Preparation, mechanism analysis and its water retention property

In this article, synthesis of nano-sized silica hollow spheres applying positive charged polystyrene as sacrificial templates was introduced. Firstly, nano-sized polystyrene particles were synthesized by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization under solvothermal condition. Secondly, silica hollow nanospheres were formed through a simultaneous ‘coating-etching’ process. PVP played a key role in the evolution of nano-sized hollow spheres even if the templates were positive charged and the formation mechanism was different from that of previous studies. TEM results revealed that the morphologies of nano-sized silica hollow spheres not only strongly relied on the amount of reactant, but also the sequence of adding them. TGA illustrated that the interiors of nano-sized silica hollow spheres were not completely ‘hollow’. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed that this material had a specific area of 399 m²/g. The water retention property of the materials was also investigated.     

Nanogaps in 2D Ag‐nanocap arrays for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering substrate of Ag–Ag nanocap arrays are prepared by depositing Ag film onto two‐dimensional (2D) polystyrene colloidal nanosphere templates. When the original colloidal arrays are used as the substrate for Ag deposition, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancements show the strong size‐dependence behaviours. When O₂‐plasma etched 2D polystyrene templates are used as the substrate for Ag deposition to form nanogaps, the gap sizes between adjacent Ag nanocaps from 5 to 20 nm generate even greater SERS enhancements. When SiO₂ coverage is deposited to isolate the Ag nanocaps from the neighbours, the SERS signals are enhanced more. The significant SERS effects are due to the coupling between Ag nanocaps controlled by the distance, which enhances the local electric‐field intensity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A general and low-cost synthetic route to high-surface area metal oxides through a silica xerogel template

Porous metal oxides with a large surface area are synthesised by means of a procedure based on the templating approach. An inexpensive porous silica xerogel synthesised at moderate temperatures (∼100 °C) in order to preserve the silanol superficial groups was used as template. In a first step, the silica porosity was filled with a concentrated solution containing a metallic salt. Then, the impregnated sample was calcined in air at a temperature of 600 °C. Under these conditions, the metal oxides were synthesised within the confined space provided by the silica pores. Finally, the product was recovered after dissolution of the silica framework in 2 M NaOH solution. The materials obtained by this procedure are made up of aggregates of nanoparticles and/or 3D solid structures containing confined pores. In this work, the synthetic route proposed is illustrated by the preparation of various binary metal oxides (i.e. Fe₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, NiO, CeO₂, Mn₂O₃, Co₂O₃ and Al₂O₃). The BET surface areas measured for these materials are in the range of 100-270 m² g⁻¹. The proposed method is not restricted to the binary metal oxides. It can also be used in the preparation of other inorganic materials such as metal sulphides or mixed metal oxides.     

Sensitive detection of DNA based on the optical properties of core–shell gold nanorods

In this article, a type of core–shell nanostructure, Au₂S/AuAgS/Ag₃AuS₂-coated gold nanorods (GNRs) with unique optical properties was used as a sensing platform to detect fish sperm DNA (fsDNA). The prepared core–shell nanorods are positively charged due to the adsorption of the positively charged cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) cations on their surface. fsDNA can form ternary fsDNA–CTAB–nanorod complexes together with CTAB and nanorod, which provides a useful platform to detect fsDNA through absorption spectra and resonance light scattering (RLS) spectroscopy. In this sensitive core–shell nanorod sensor, CTAB concentration and the nanoparticle dosage play important roles and have been investigated. Moreover, the fsDNA–CTAB–nanorod complexes induce a great enhancement of RLS intensity of the core–shell GNRs and directly proportional to the concentration of fsDNA, reaching a detection limit of about 10⁻⁹ mg/mL. This study will be significant for as-prepared core–shell GNRs for future application in biological systems.     

Study of silica templates in the rice husk and the carbon–silica nanocomposites produced from rice husk

Carbon–silica nanocomposites obtained by rice husk carbonization in a fluidized-bed reactor using a deep oxidation copper–chromium catalyst were studied. Dispersion characteristics of the silica phase in these systems were determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) using the full contrast technique. SiO₂ was found in the initial rice husk as compact nanoparticles having a wide size distribution. This distribution consists of a narrow fraction with particle sizes from 1 to 7 nm and a wider fraction with particle sizes from 8 to 22 nm. Oxidative heat treatment of rice husk in a fluidized bed in the presence of the catalyst decreased the fraction of small SiO₂ particles and increased the fraction of large ones. It was demonstrated that the particle size of silica in the carbon matrix can be determined selectively for deliberate design of porous carbon materials with desired properties.     

Key factor affecting the structural and textural properties of ZSM-5/MCM-41 composite

ZSM-5/MCM-41 micro/mesoporous composite materials were synthesized by the hydrothermal technique with alkali-treated ZSM-5 zeolite as source of silica and aluminum and characterized by various physico-chemical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen sorption at 77 K, transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), FTIR spectroscopy and NH₃ temperature programmed desorption (TPD) techniques. The effect of concentration of CTAB in the synthesis of these solids has been investigated, the mesopore volume, surface area and surface acidity decrease with increasing the concentration of CTAB. Increasing the CTAB concentration causes the recrystallization of zeolite ZSM-5 and it disadvantage the formation of mesoporous materials MCM-41. The catalytic activity of ZSM-5/MCM-41 materials has been evaluated in the Friedel–Crafts acylation of anisole with benzoyl chloride as alkylating agent. The results revealed the reaction to be influenced by surface area, pore volume and surface acidity.     

Templated syntheses of Pt thin films with feature sizes of 3, 6 and 9 nm and their effects on SERS

We report on the syntheses of nanostructured Pt films with three different feature sizes of 3, 6 and 9 nm and their effects to the surface enhance Raman spectroscopy of rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) analytes. The syntheses of the Pt films have been achieved through templating the pore structures of mesoporous silica thin films (MSTFs). For the purpose of the present study, we synthesized three MSTFs with pore sizes 3, 6 and 9 nm. Other than the pore sizes, the silica thin films have the same pore structures. The Pt films have been synthesized by depositing Pt into the pores of the template MSTFs and removing the templates after the deposition. The Pt films produce strong Raman spectra of Rh6G with the intensity increasing as the feature size of the Pt film increases. Simulations of the induced electromagnetic fields on the Pt films show the same trend as the observed Raman intensity with the feature size. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-pressure effects on nanometric hybrid xerogels, p-phenylenediamine/silica and p-anisidine/silica

The hybrid xerogels p-phenylenediamine/silica and p-anisidine/silica were prepared with different surface areas and porosities and they were processed at high pressure (7.7 GPa or ∼76000 atm) in a quasi-hydrostatic medium at room temperature. The morphologies of the materials were studied before and after the high-pressure treatment by using N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy and infrared thermal analysis. The porous hybrid p-phenylenediamine /silica presented after the high-pressure treatment a surface-area reduction and an entrapment of organics in closed pores. However, the less porous hybrid p-anisidine /silica showed a surprising behavior, a pressure-induced increase in surface area with opening of pores. We propose a mechanism based on the inhibition of the cold sintering process by the organics to explain these results. PACS 81.20.-n; 81.40.Vw; 81.05.-t     

Template synthesis of monodisperse carbon nanodots

Monodisperse carbon nanodots in pores of mesoporous silica particles are obtained by template synthesis. This method is based on introducing a precursor (organosilane) into pores, its thermal decomposition with formation of carbon nanodots, and the template removal. Structural analysis of the nanomaterial has been performed, which showed that carbon nanodots have an approximately spherical form and a graphite-like structure. According to dynamic light scattering data, the size of carbon nanodots is 3.3 ± 0.9 nm.

     

Molecular ordering of mixed surfactants in mesoporous silicas: a solid-state NMR study

The use of mixed surfactants in the synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) is of importance in the context of adjusting pore structures, sizes and morphologies. In the present study, the arrangement of molecules in micelles produced from a mixture of two surfactants, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) was detailed by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Proximities of methyl protons in the trimethylammonium headgroup of CTAB and protons in the pyridinium headgroup of CPB were observed under fast magic angle spinning (MAS) by (1)H-(1)H double quantum (DQ) MAS NMR and NOESY. This result suggested that CTAB and CPB co-exist in the pores without forming significant monocomponent domain structures. (1)H-(29)Si heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) NMR showed that protons in the headgroups of CTAB are in closer proximity to the silica surface than those in the CPB headgroups. The structural information obtained in this investigation leads to better understanding of the mechanisms of self-assembly and their role in determining the structure and morphology of mesoporous materials.