Ethanol Washing Effect on Textural Properties of the Sodium Silicate-Derived Silica Xerogel

This study deals with the use of ethanol as washing solvent in the preparation of the silica gels from sodium silicate in order to enhance the textural properties, especially surface area. We here examined the effect of ethanol-washing on surface area, micro- and mesopore volume, and average pore size. The silica xerogels prepared from sodium silicate solution exhibited an extremely high surface area of 1139 m2/g by washing their hydrogels with ethanol. Compared to water-washed xerogels, ethanol-washed xerogels showed higher surface areas, total pore volumes, and larger average pore sizes. Unlike the surface area of water-washed xerogel, that of the ethanol-washed xerogel was not affected by the silica concentration of initial solution. This study indicates that the textural properties of sodium silicate-derived xerogels are further enhanced by using ethanol as washing solvent.     

Adsorption of dyes on carbon xerogels and templated carbons: influence of surface chemistry

The removal of textile dyes by adsorption onto carbon materials with extended mesoporosity is addressed in the present work. Two types of high surface area carbon adsorbents were prepared, namely a carbon xerogel and a templated carbon. Both materials were subsequently subjected to appropriate treatments in order to modify their surface chemistries, while keeping their textural properties relatively unchanged. The carbon adsorbents were extensively characterized by different techniques in order to correlate their adsorption performances with the corresponding surface properties. The behavior of the different materials was evaluated by determining equilibrium adsorption isotherms of two anionic dyes (Reactive Red 241 and Acid Blue 113) at different pH values. The results are compared with data previously obtained with commercial activated carbons subjected to the same treatments, and discussed in terms of the carbon surface chemistry and the interaction between the dye molecules and the adsorbent surface (dispersive and electrostatic interactions).     

Humic-makeup approach for simultaneous functionalization of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers during electrospinning process,and dye adsorption study

A useful methodology is represented to functionalize polyacrylonitrile nanofibers by using humic acid as a makeup agent in electrospinning process. Both morphology and surface chemistry of polyacrylonitrile nanofiber mats were understood to be influenced by incorporation of humic acid into the structure. Physicochemical changes were evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and surface charge measurements. Unlike some anionic dyes (i.e., methyl orange, methyl red, and Congo red), there was an enhancement in crystal violet (a cationic dye) adsorption after incorporation of humic acid. The Langmuir model fitted well to crystal violet data, and monolayer adsorption capacity was calculated as 81.6 mg/g (r² = 0.998).     

离子型共价有机框架材料的制备及对染料吸附性能的研究

茜素红(Alizarin Red,AR)作为蒽醌类染料中的重要组成,由于其具有优异的特性,在染料和酸碱指示剂等方面被广泛使用。但是AR具有毒性高、结构复杂以及化学需氧量(COD)值大等原因,使其成为了主要污染物之一,去除水体中的茜素红染料污染物已经成为了目前亟待解决的问题。共价有机框架材料作为一种新型的多孔有机材料,由于其具有比表面积大,孔径均一和可设计的独特优势,已经广泛应用吸附和分离等方面。因此,以三醛基间苯三酚和溴化乙锭为构筑单元,通过水热的方法合成一种二维离子型共价有机框架材料(TpEB-COF)。对制备的TpEB-COF进行相关表征,包括X射线衍射仪(XRD),扫描电镜(SEM)和能量色散谱仪(EDS)等。然后将制备的TpEB-COF作为固体吸附剂,将其应用对水中AR的吸附,研究了不同吸附时间和不同pH值对吸附过程的影响。实验结果证明制备的离子型共价有机框架材料具有良好的晶型结构。同时,对实验数据分析表明,离子型共价有机框架材料对于茜素红的吸附符合准二级动力学方程和Langmuir吸附模型,吸附效率为82.8%,最大吸附量为828 mg g-1。本研究不仅为共价有机框架材料的设计和合成奠定坚实的基础,而且拓展了离子型共价有机框架材料的应用范围,促进共价有机框架材料的发展。     

Influence of adsorption orientation of methyl orange on silver colloids by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy: pH effect

This work seeks to characterize the UV–Vis absorption, SRES and fluorescence of methyl orange (MO) on silver colloids at different pH. The gradual changes of SERS signals indicate differing adsorption orientations of dyes on silver surface when pH changed and thus, results in different energy transfer efficiencies, i.e., the fluorescence quenching at 428 nm and synchronous enhancement at 560 nm changed gradually with pH increased by step-up. Both experimental evidence and theoretic analysis indicate that, different molecular structures and differing adsorption orientations of dyes on silver surface were existence when pH changed, and thereat caused the diverse spectral phenomena.     

TiO2 xerogels prepared by modified sol–gel method with ethylenediamine are photoactive for the 4-nitrophenol photoreduction

Amorphous and nanocrystalline TiO₂ xerogel semiconductors were synthesized by sol–gel using different hydrolysis pH conditions with and without ethylenediamine as structural modifier. Blue-shift of the optical-electronic properties was observed for the amorphous TiO₂ xerogel samples obtained in an alkaline hydrolysis medium. Different textural properties (specific surface area, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherm and pore size distribution) were promoted by the use of ethylenediamine for the amorphous TiO₂ xerogel semiconductors, as well as high photocatalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. These results are discussed as function of the textural properties of the samples.     

New inorganic (an)ion exchangers based on Mg-Al hydrous oxides: (alkoxide-free) sol-gel synthesis and characterisation

New inorganic ion exchangers based on double Mg-Al hydrous oxides were generated via the new non-traditional sol-gel synthesis method which avoids using metal alkoxides as raw materials. Surface chemical and adsorptive properties of the final products were controlled by several ways of hydrogels and xerogels treatments which produced the materials of the layered structure, mixed hydrous oxides or amorphous adsorbents. The final adsorptive materials obtained via thermal treatment of xerogels were the layered mesoporous materials with carbonate in the interlayer space, surface abundance with hydroxylic groups and maximum adsorptive capacity to arsenate. Higher affinity of Mg-Al hydrous oxides towards H(2)AsO(4)(-) is confirmed by steep adsorption isotherms having plateau (removal capacity) at 220 mg[As]g(dw)(-1) for the best sample at pH=7, fast adsorption kinetics and little pH effect. Adsorption of arsenite, fluoride, bromate, bromide, selenate, borate by Mg-Al hydrous oxides was few times high either competitive (depending on the anion) as compare with the conventional inorganic ion exchange adsorbents.     

SiO2-PEG凝胶体系织构特性的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法,以正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为前驱体,以不同分子量的聚乙二醇(PEG)为改性剂,制备结构可控的多孔SiO₂干凝胶.结果表明:PEG限制了TEOS的水解反应,进而对溶胶粒子的表面进行修饰,形成“粒子团-PEG”聚集体及短程有序的环状网络结构,由此对SiO₂干凝胶的结构性质进行调控.经真空热处理后,PEG等有机残留物被脱除的同时,SiO₂-PEG干凝胶柔性骨架得到加强,孔分布更趋集中,干凝胶结构的热稳定性得到进一步提高.     

Surface modification of malonic acid‐catalyzed carbon xerogels and their high performance for adsorption of Cu (II) ions

The preparation of malonic acid‐catalyzed carbon xerogels modified with nitric acid and their high performance for adsorption of Cu²⁺ were investigated. The treated and untreated carbon xerogels (nitrogen‐doped carbon xerogel and carbon xerogel) are mainly microporous with high surface areas (1150.18 and 1201.46 m² g^?1) based on the analysis of N₂ adsorption isotherm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study demonstrates that modification process generates a number of functional groups such as carboxyl, carbonyl, and nitrate groups. X‐ray photoelectron spectra analysis shows an increase in the content of O and N after oxidation. The adsorption performance for Cu²⁺ using different process parameters like initial concentration, contact time, and temperature was investigated. The result indicates that the pseudo‐second order correlates with the experimental data, and the activation energy of Cu²⁺ adsorption onto nitrogen‐doped carbon xerogel and carbon xerogel is calculated as 15.62 kJ mol^?1 and 2.79 kJ mol^?1, respectively, indicating the coexistence of chemisorption and ion‐exchange. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to describe the adsorption behavior of Cu²⁺. The adsorption of Cu²⁺ by carbon xerogels modified with nitric acid was fast and had noticeable adsorption capacity, with a higher adsorption capacity than the original carbon xerogels (299.41 vs 260.42 mg g^?1). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fast microwave-assisted synthesis of tailored mesoporous carbon xerogels

Resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon xerogels with several initial pH were synthesized using two different heating methods (conventional and microwave heating). The effect of the pH of the precursor solution and the method of synthesis employed on the textural and chemical properties of the final materials was evaluated. It was found that both methods produce tailored carbon xerogels depending on the initial pH and that the pores of the carbon xerogels become larger as the initial pH decreases. High pHs result in exclusively microporous carbon xerogels, while a decrease in the amount of NaOH added, i.e. lower pH, causes the materials to evolve firstly into micro-mesoporous samples and then into micro-macroporous carbon xerogels. The main difference between the two heating methods studied, apart from the duration of the synthesis (i.e. approximately 5 h for the microwave-assisted synthesis as opposed to several days by conventional methods) lies in the meso-macroporosity of the resulting materials, since microwave radiation produces mainly mesoporous carbon xerogels with a specific mesopore size over a wider range of pH than conventional synthesis. For example, the pH range for mesoporous MW samples is 4.5-6.5 while equivalent samples that are conventionally synthesized require an initial pH of between 5.8 and 6.5. This work also illustrates a simple and precise method for determining the gelation point (t(g)) of different pH resorcinol-formaldehyde mixtures, based on varying the energy consumed by the microwave device during the synthesis of organic gels, without the need for other more complicated techniques.