High-temperature synthesis of stable ordered mesoporous silica materials by using fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon surfactant mixtures

Highly ordered hexagonal mesoporous silica materials (JLU-20) with uniform pore sizes have been successfully synthesized at high temperature (150-220 degrees C) by using fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon surfactant mixtures. The fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon surfactant mixtures combine the advantages of both stable fluorocarbon surfactants and ordered hydrocarbon surfactants, giving ordered and stable mixed micelles at high temperature (150-220 degrees C). Mesoporous JLU-20 shows extraordinary stability towards hydrothermal treatment (100 % steam at 800 degrees C for 2 h or boiling water for 80 h), thermal treatment (calcination at 1000 degrees C for 4 h), and toward mechanical treatment (compressed at 740 MPa). Transmission electron microscopy images of JLU-20 show well-ordered hexagonal arrays of mesopores with one-dimensional (1D) channels and further confirm that JLU-20 has a two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal (P6 mm) mesostructure. 29Si HR MAS NMR spectra of as-synthesized JLU-20 shows that JLU-20 is primarily made up of fully condensed Q4 silica units (delta=-112 ppm) with a small contribution from incompletely cross-linked Q3 (delta=-102 ppm) as deduced from the very high Q4/Q3 ratio of 6.5, indicating that the mesoporous walls of JLU-20 are fully condensed. Such unique structural features should be directly attributed to the high-temperature synthesis, which is responsible for the observed high thermal, hydrothermal, and mechanical stability of the mesoporous silica materials with well-ordered hexagonal symmetry. Furthermore, the concept of "high-temperature synthesis" is successfully extended to the preparation of three-dimensional (3D) cubic mesoporous silica materials by the assistance of a fluorocarbon surfactant as a co-template. The obtained material, designated JLU-21, has a well-ordered cubic Im3m mesostructure with fully condensed pore walls and shows unusually high hydrothermal stability, as compared with conventional cubic mesoporous silica materials such as SBA-16.     

Synthesis of lamellar mesoporous silica materials using LCs as templates

The study focuses on the synthesis of mesoporous silica materials using liquid crystals (LCs) formed in an aqueous mixture of cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as templates and tetrathoxysilane (TEOS) as precursor. For this purpose, the phase behavior and range of LC areas were determined at different temperatures, concentrations, and ratios of CTAB/SDS. It was found that LCs became denser with the increased of concentration of surfactants. The mesoporous materials were synthesized using LCs as templates at various temperatures, surfactant concentrations, and pH values. The mesoporous samples were characterized using SEM and nitrogen sorption analysis. The research results showed that the structure of synthesized samples were lamellar and their surface areas increased significantly with the increase of temperature in the temperature range of LCs, reaching about 900?m²/g at 60°C. The surfactant concentrations affect the thickness of pore wall and thereby the specific surface area of products. The specific surface area and the order of mesoporous sample increased gradually with the decrease of pH.     

Design and synthesis of hierarchical materials from ordered zeolitic building units

The crystallization of colloidal silicalite-1 from clear solution is one of the best understood zeolite formation processes. Colloidal silicalite-1 formation involves a self-assembly process in which nanoslabs and nanotablets with a silicalite-1 type connectivity are formed at intermediate stages. During the assembly process, with strongly anisometric particles present, regions appear with orientational correlations, as evidenced with measurements of dynamic light scattering, viscosity, and rotation of polarized light. The presence of such regions rationalizes the unexpected differences between the crystallization kinetics under microgravity and on earth. The discovery of the locally oriented regions sheds new light on currently poorly understood hydrodynamic effects on the zeolite formation processes, such as the influence of stirring on the phases obtained and the subsequent kinetics. Addition of surfactants or polymers modifies the ordering of the zeolitic building units in the correlated regions, and new types of hierarchical materials named zeogrids and zeotiles can be obtained.     

Titanium-rich highly ordered mesoporous silica synthesized by using a mixed surfactant system

A new titanium-rich highly ordered 2-D hexagonal mesoporous titanium silicate has been synthesized using a mixture of cationic (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) and non-ionic (Brij-35, C₁₂H₂₅-(OC₂H₄)₂₃-OH, a polyether and aliphatic hydrocarbon chain surfactant) mixed surfactant system as the supramolecular structure directing agent (SDA) in the presence of tartaric acid (TA) as a mineralizer of Ti(IV). XRD, N₂ adsorption and TEM data suggested the presence of mesophase with hexagonal pore arrangements and the UV-visible, FT IR and XPS studies suggested the incorporation of mostly tetrahedral titanium (IV) species in the highly ordered silica network. This mesoporous titanium silicate material showed excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the epoxidation of styrene using dilute aqueous H₂O₂ as oxidant.     

Self-assembling and size-selective synthesis of Ni and NiO nanoparticles embedded in ordered mesoporous carbon and polymer frameworks

We demonstrate the self-assembling and size-selective synthesis of uniform and highly dispersed Ni or NiO nanoparticles with diameters below 12 nm embedded in ordered mesoporous carbon or polymer frameworks. Self-assembly is induced by evaporation of the solvent from a mixture of metal-containing liquid crystalline (LC) mesophases of triblock copolymer and transition metal nitrate hydrate, and the carbon source is low-polymerized phenolic resol. Characterization by XRD, N(2) sorption isotherms, TEM, HRSEM, ICP-AES, TG, and XPS techniques has indicated an ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructure, high surface areas between 524 and 721 m(2) g(-1), uniform pore sizes of about 4.0 nm, large pore volumes ranging from 0.34 to 0.58 cm(3) g(-1), and metal contents ranging from 0.6 to 10.0 wt%. There is a high degree of dispersion, and a small size of nanoparticles throughout the whole framework, without aggregation outside of the pores due to the confinement effect of the mesoporous ordered matrix. The mesoporous solids show excellent adsorption properties for dyes and permit an easy magnetic separation procedure. This method is expected to be applicable to other mesoporous transition metal(oxide)-containing carbon catalysts.     

炭化温度对模板法合成介孔炭性能的影响

以蔗糖为炭源和硅酸钠为硅源,采用原位共聚法制备了炭/氧化硅复合体,除去氧化硅得到介孔炭材料.采用N2吸附-脱附、透射电子显微镜和红外光谱对不同炭化温度获得的样品进行表征.结果表明,随着炭化温度升高,所得的介孔炭比表面积和孔容均下降,650℃ ～ 950℃的炭化温度下获得的样品BET比表面积在586m2/g ～728 m2/g之间,孔容在0.549cm3/g～0.696cm3/g之间,孔径分布5-15nm之间.经红外光谱检测所得的介孔炭样品均含有氢和氧的功能团.     

孔壁富含微孔有序介孔材料的设计合成及表征

通过调节水热处理溶液的酸度和温度,进而调控材料孔壁上硅羟基与模板剂的相互作用以及模板剂亲水嵌段嵌入到孔壁内的量,制备出了墙壁富含微孔的有序介孔材料SBA-15.氮气吸附测试表明,当水热处理溶液的pH值和温度分别为2.2和100℃时,经300℃焙烧脱除模板剂后的样品具有较高的微孔含量,其微孔体积为0.176cm3/g,占总孔体积的21.6%.     

Self-assembly of alkyl-substituted cubic siloxane cages into ordered hybrid materials

Siloxane-organic hybrids with well-ordered mesostructures were synthesized through the self-assembly of novel amphiphilic molecules that consist of cubic siloxane heads and hydrophobic alkyl tails. The monoalkyl precursors functionalized with ethoxy groups (C(n)H(2n+1)Si(8)O(12)(OEt)(7), 1 Cn, n=16, 18, and 20) were hydrolyzed under acidic conditions with the retention of the siloxane cages, leading to the formation of two-dimensional hexagonal phases by evaporation-induced self-assembly processes. Analysis of the solid-state (29)Si MAS NMR spectra of these hybrid mesostructures confirmed that the cubic siloxane units were cross-linked to form siloxane networks. Calcination of these hybrids gave mesoporous silica, the pore diameter of which varied depending on the alkyl-chain length. We also found that the precursors that had two alkyl chains formed lamellar phases, thus confirming that the number of alkyl chains per cage had a strong influence on the mesostructures. These results expand the design possibility of novel nanohybrid and nanoporous materials through the self-assembly of well-defined oligosiloxane-based precursors.     

A novel green template for the synthesis of mesoporous silica

Mesoporous pure silicas and functionalized silica with a narrow pore size distribution centered at 3.8 nm were prepared by a novel template, amphiphilic dendritic polyglycerol. The resulting silica materials were characterized by electron microscopy; nitrogen adsorption; (1)H, (13)C, and (29)Si solid-state cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. It was shown that the template could be completely removed from the pure and functionalized silica in an environmentally friendly way by means of a simple water extraction procedure. Furthermore, it was shown that these materials could be easily functionalized, for example, by employing aminopropyl groups. Thus, a new environmentally friendly pathway to this fascinating class of silica material has been opened.     

Enzyme-inspired controlled release of cucurbit[7]uril nanovalves by using magnetic mesoporous silica

The controlled release of drugs by biostimuli is highly desirable under physiological conditions for their potential use in advanced applications. The enzyme-inspired controlled release of cucurbituril nanovalves by using magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in near-neutral aqueous solutions is reported for the first time. The encirclement of cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) onto the protonated 1,4-butanediamine stalks tethered to the external surfaces of superparamagnetic Fe(3) O(4) -embedded mesoporous silica particles leads to tight blocking of the nanopores. The supramolecular nanovalves are activated by the enzymatic decarboxylation products of lysine, cadaverine (in the protonated form), which has a high affinity for CB[7], so that the encapsulated guest molecules, calcein, in the nanopores are released into the bulk solution. The release of calcein can be controlled in small portions on command by alternating changes in enzymatic decarboxylation products and CB[7]. The amino acid derived polyamines have long been associated with cell growth and cancers. The guest molecules released from the delivery system of magnetic MSNs can act not only on sensing probes for levels of decarboxylases and polyamines, but also on efficacious drugs to specific tissues and cells for regulation of polyamine synthesis.     

Study of the Pm3n space group of cubic mesoporous silica.

By using a Gemini surfactant, [C14H25N+(CH3)2-(CH2)2-N+(CH3)2C14H25]2 Br-(C(14-2-14)), with a short spacer group (s = 2) as structure-directing agent and sodium silicate as precursor, high-quality, ordered cubic mesoporous silica with space group Pm3n was prepared by the S+I-route (S = surfactants, I = precursor). The samples were characterized by small-angle X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The results showed that the pore structure of the resulting mesoporous silica belonged to the cubic system (space group Pm3n). The unit-cell parameter of the cubic system was in the range of 8.81-9.14 nm. The high-quality cubic mesoporous structure was formed at molar ratios of C(14-2-14) to sodium silicate of 0.33:1 to 0.16:1 and a molar ratio of ethyl acetate to sodium silicate of 2:1. N2 adsorption-desorption curves revealed type IV isotherms and H1 hysteresis loops. The primary pore volume, and the most probable pore size according to the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) model, increased with increasing molar ratio of C(14-2-14) to sodium silicate.     

Mesoporous silica hybridized by ordered mesoporous carbon for in‐tube solid‐phase microextraction

To enhance the extraction performance, a mesoporous silica was modified with ordered mesoporous carbon for solid‐phase microextraction. Three stainless‐steel wires coated with the mesoporous material were placed in a polyetheretherketone tube for getting an extraction tube. The tube was coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector, and the online analysis system was constructed. Then its extraction performance was evaluated using hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates, and hydrophilic neonicotinoids. The best selectivity was presented for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Several main conditions were optimized such as sampling volume, sampling rate, methanol concentration in the sample, and desorption time, a rapid and sensitive analytical method was established toward polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The analytical method exhibited wide linear range from 0.017 to 15 µg/L with acceptable correlation coefficients more than 0.9990, limits of detection in 0.005‐0.020 µg/L, limits of quantification ranging from 0.017 to 0.066 µg/L as well as large enrichment factors of 377‐2314. It was successfully applied to detect trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in some real water samples including tap water, snow water, and domestic sewage.     

Effective controlled release of captopril by silylation of mesoporous MCM-41.

The release of the water-soluble drug Captopril is controlled by tailoring the surface properties of mesoporous silica via stepwise silylation. The degree of silylation is manipulated by adjusting the initial concentration of silylanizing reagent (trimethylchlorosilane, TMCS). The silylanized and drug-loaded samples are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, N2 adsorption and desorption, 29Si cross-polarization magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The drug-loading amount is correlated to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the mesoporous silica material, while drug release profiles can be controlled by tailoring the surface properties and pore size.