Dielectric and calorimetric investigations of KNO3 in pores of nanoporous silica matrices MCM-41

The temperature dependences of the linear dielectric permittivity, the third harmonic amplitude, and the heat capacity of nanoporous silica matrices MCM-41 with cellular channels (3.7 and 2.6 nm in diameter) filled with KNO₃ have been investigated in comparison with those obtained for bulk potassium nitrate. Measurements have been performed during heating and cooling in the range from room temperature to 463 K. Anomalies corresponding to structural phase transitions have been observed. A significant broadening of the temperature region of the existence of the ferroelectric phase III of potassium nitrate upon cooling has been revealed. This broadening increases with a decrease in the size of pores. It has been shown that, in the nanocomposites with potassium nitrate, the ferroelectric phase can also be formed during heating. The efficiency of observation of the third harmonic generation for studying nanocomposites with the ferroelectric phase has been demonstrated.     

Adsorption of argon and nitrogen in cylindrical pores of MCM-41 materials: application of density functional theory

Adsorption of argon and nitrogen at their respective boiling points in cylindrical pores of MCM-41 type silica-like adsorbents is studied by means of a non-local density functional theory (NLDFT), which is modified to deal with amorphous solids. By matching the theoretical results of the pore filling pressure versus pore diameter against the experimental data, we arrive at a conclusion that the adsorption branch (rather than desorption) corresponds to the true thermodynamic equilibrium. If this is accepted, we derive the optimal values for the solid-fluid molecular parameters for the system amorphous silica-Ar and amorphous silica-N₂, and at the same time we could derive reliably the specific surface area of non-porous and mesoporous silica-like adsorbents, without a recourse to the BET method. This method is then logically extended to describe the local adsorption isotherms of argon and nitrogen in silica-like pores, which are then used as the bases (kernel) to determine the pore size distribution. We test this with a number of adsorption isotherms on the MCM-41 samples, and the results are quite realistic and in excellent agreement with the XRD results, justifying the approach adopted in this paper.     

Structure and dynamic properties of liquids confined in MCM-41 mesopores

The microscopic structure and dynamic properties of water, methanol, and acetonitrile confined in mesoporous MCM-41 materials have been investigated under monolayer and capillary-condensation conditions as a function of pore size and temperature by in situ FTIR and X-ray diffraction and quasi-elastic neutron scattering techniques. Both interfacial and confinement effects on the structure and dynamics of the liquids in hydrophilic pores are discussed at the molecular level.     

Strong visible photoluminescence of TEEDPS-modified silica MCM-41 materials

The photoluminescence (PL) of mesoporous silica MCM-41 modified with triethoxy-3-ethylenediaminepropyl-silane (TEEDPS) has been investigated using UV-Vis fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy methods and thermogravimetry. Results suggest that the TEEDPS-modified MCM-41 has a greatly enhanced (by 20 times) PL intensity at 420 nm relative to that of TEEDPS, and this enhanced PL still remains even after post heat treatment at 180 °C under vacuum (yielding a sample MTV). Meanwhile, a strong PL band at 450 nm appeared in the sample MTV when excited at 380 nm. The TEEDPS-modified material could be partly oxidized at 180 °C in air (yielding a sample MTA); therefore obvious absorption was found up to about 600 nm. The interaction between this absorption and the vacancy-related emission resulted in the maximum of the emission bands of the sample MTA at around 515 nm when excited at 440 nm. PACS 78.55.Mb; 78.55.Hx; 79.60.Jv; 78.40.Ha     

Water confined in MCM-41: a mode coupling theory analysis

In this paper we analyze molecular dynamics simulation results on supercooled water in a MCM-41 pore in order to test the mode coupling theory. A layer analysis must be performed for water in the pore in order to exclude the contribution of water bound to the strongly hydrophilic surface. Upon supercooling a range of temperatures is reached where the liquid follows the mode coupling theory. From the power law behavior of the relaxation times extracted from the Kohlrausch-William-Watts fit to the self-intermediate scattering function, we obtain the crossover temperature T(C) and the γ exponent of the theory. The time-temperature superposition principle is also satisfied. A fit to the von Schweidler law yields a coefficient b from which all the other parameters of the theory have been calculated. In particular, we obtained the same value of γ as extracted from the power law fit to the relaxation times, in agreement with the requirements of the theory. For very low temperatures, the mode coupling theory no longer holds as hopping processes intervene and water turns its behavior to that of a strong liquid.     

Dynamics of supercooled water in mesoporous silica matrix MCM-48-S

The European Physical Journal E - Using three different quasielastic neutron spectrometers with widely different resolutions, we have been able to study the microscopic translational and rotational...     

Orientational fluctuations and phase transitions in 8CB confined by cylindrical pores of the PET film

Abstract

Results of optical investigations of the isotropic-nematic and nematic-smectic A phase transitions in porous polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) films filled with octyl-cyanobihenyl (8CB) liquid crystal (LC) are reported. Samples of porous films of thickness 23 µm with normally oriented cylindrical pores of a radius R ranging from 10 nm to 1000 nm were prepared using the track-etched membrane technology. The dynamic light scattering method was used to probe the nematic orientational fluctuations of confined LC samples. The corresponding relaxation time τ was measured as a function of R and temperature T at slow enough cooling rates (0.3–0.6 K/h) to locate the phase transition temperatures. Changes in τ(T) dependencies relatively sensitivity fingerprint the LC phase transformations. Experimental results are analysed using the Landau-de Gennes-Ginzburg phenomenological approach.     

Dynamics of supercooled water in mesoporous silica matrix MCM-48-S

Using three different quasielastic neutron spectrometers with widely different resolutions, we have been able to study the microscopic translational and rotational dynamics of water, in a mesoporous silica matrix MCM-48-S, from T=300 K to 220 K, with a single consistent model. We formulated our fitting routine using the relaxing cage model. Thus, from the fit of the experimental data, we extracted the fraction of water bound to the surface of the pore, the characteristic relaxation times of the long-time translational and rotational decays, the stretch exponent describing the shape of the relaxation processes, and the power exponent determining the Q-dependence of the translational relaxation time. A tremendous slowing down of the rotational relaxation time, as compared to the translational one, has been observed.     

低温下二氧化硅介孔内水的振动性质

利用拉曼谱测量了100 K-303 K温度范围内受限于二氧化硅介孔内水的振动性质. 利用水分子在亲水介孔内, 先径向后轴向的吸附生长特点, 改变孔内界面水和位于孔中心水的相对含量. 发现越接近界面, 水低温相的振动谱越偏离体相六角冰的振动谱. 当界面水层减小到小于两个水分子层厚度时, 界面水在降温过程中不具有晶化行为, 其低温相与体相非晶冰相的拉曼谱主峰位在不同的温区内随温度的变化趋势相同、 连续.     

Effect of water deposition on the surface dynamics of mesopores in MCM-41

The surface acoustic waves in empty cylindrical pores in the amorphous silica MCM-41 as well as in the same pores partially filled with water are studied with the use of a continuum model. The model is shown to be adequate to predict dispersion relations, cut-off wave vectors and the Airy phases for the secular surface waves of the lowest azimuthal indices n. Quantitative predictions are presented both in the liquid and in the polycrystalline solid phase of water. Two sagittal surface waves exist when water is in the liquid phase. The phase transition to the solid phase (ice) results in the disappearance of the high-frequency mode. All the effects occur in the Terahertz frequency region.     

Condensation process of alcohol molecules on mesoporous silica MCM-41 and SBA-15 and fumed silica: a spin-probe ESR study

A few alcoholic solutions of di-tert-butyl nitroxide (DTBN), a spin probe, at a high concentration were condensed on several silica materials, such as MCM-41, two types of SBA-15, and fumed silica, at various amounts in vacuum. At a very low solution dose the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum is that of an immobilized nitroxide radical. With increasing solution dose, the spectrum is gradually sharpened and a well-separated three-line spectrum is observed at the dose that is estimated to fill the surface with a monomolecular layer. Thus, the DTBN molecule can make rapid tumbling motion on this solvent layer. With a further increase in the solution dose the ESR spectrum is modified in different ways from system to system: the line width increases approximately linearly with respect to the solution dose for the SBA-15 and fumed silica systems, but it remains almost constant for the MCM-41 system until the solution dose exceeds the total volume of a nanochannel. The line width increase with respect to the solution dose is small for the SBA-15 system but large for the fumed silica system. These results have been interpreted geometrically with the structures of these silica materials and a condensation model for the alcohols on these surfaces. In relation to the present results, a model of the collective molecular flow of the alcohol solutions through the nanochannel of MCM-41 is given.     

Magnetism of iron-containing MCM-41 spheres

Iron species were loaded into the mesopores of MCM-41 spheres by incipient wetness impregnation procedure with Fe(ACAC)₃ as the precursor. The magnetism of the samples was studied by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), diffuse reflectance ultraviolet–visible (DRUV-vis) spectra and Mossbauer spectra. The results show that the magnetic behavior of the iron-loaded MCM-41 spheres depends on the content of iron loading, valence, and coordination state of iron ions, testing temperature and the atmosphere for the pyrolysis of the iron precursor.     

Raman spectroscopy: Probing dynamics of water molecules confined in nanoporous silica glasses

In order to explore the influence of nanoscopic confinement on the vibrational properties of H-bonded liquids, we performed a detailed Raman scattering study, as a function of temperature, on water confined in 75 ? and 200 ? pores of a Gelsil glass. A detailed evaluation of the observed changes in the O-H stretching profile has been achieved by decomposing the O-H band into individual components, corresponding to those found for bulk water and associated to different levels of water connectivity. As main result, a similar effect produced by enlarging pore diameter and lowering T has been put into evidence. Again, the “structure-breaker” role of the GelSil glass on physisorbed water is confirmed and shown to be enhanced by the diminishing of the pore size.     

Oxidation of ferrocene molecules adsorbed in MCM-41

A mesoporous silica material MCM-41 was synthesized under two different conditions, and ferrocene molecules were adsorbed into one-dimensional pores formed in MCM-41. The pore sizes were determined to be 0.9 and 2.8 nm for the MCM-41 synthesized under an acidic and a basic condition, respectively. The formation of paramagnetic ferricinium ions was observed after the adsorption into pores by ESR, magnetic susceptibility and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer measurements. Spin densities attributable to ferricinium ions in the pores are estimated to be 0.74 and 0.065 in MCM-41 synthesized under an acidic and a basic condition, respectively. It was shown that the oxidation of ferrocene molecules to ferricinium ions in MCM-41 prepared in an acid solution is faster than that in base at ambient temperature and pressure.     

介孔材料MCM-41的导热研究

文章根据二氧化硅介孔材料MCM-41纳米孔结构特点,首先建立和验证了纳米结构单元模型,然后使用平衡分子动力学方法模拟了孔壁热导率;接着耦合孔隙内气体导热,开展了一维传热分析,最终提炼出MCM-41的有效热导率表达式;并对壁厚、孔径和孔隙率对热导率的影响进行了分析.研究结果表明,MCM-41具有良好的绝热性能,其有效热导率随孔隙率增大近似呈线性减小,且表现出各向异性;导热性能沿孔道长度方向表现出准一维特性. 关键词： 有效热导率 介孔材料 MCM-41 平衡分子动力学     

Four pulse electron spin echo modulation studies of Cu(II) complexes in MCM-41 silica tube materials

The coordination geometry of Cu(II) complexes with water and ammonia has been studied by four pulse electron spin echo modulation spectroscopy in siliceous (L)Cu-MCM-41 and in aluminum-containing (L)Cu-AlMCM-41 where (L) denotes Cu(II) incorporation by liquid phase ionexchange. An analysis of the proton sum peaks in the echo modulation pattern of the water and ammonia ligands reveals significant differences in the Cu(II) coordination between MCM-41 and AlMCM-41. In the aluminum-containing material (L)Cu-AlMCM-41, Cu(II) coordinates to two molecules of water or ammonia and three framework oxygens in a square-based pyramidal coordination geometry. The base of the pyramid is formed by two adsorbate molecules together with two framework oxygens. A third framework oxygen is located at the apex of the pyramid. The cupric ion site is slightly shifted from the plane of the pyramid base towards the apex resulting in an off-plane position. In the siliceous material (L)Cu-MCM-41, [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺ and [Cu(NH₃)₄]²⁺ complexes are observed. The results of four pulse electron spin echo modulation experiments support a distorted octahedral coordination geometry for the [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺ complex in (L)Cu-MCM-41.     

Molecular simulation study of triangle-well fluids confined in slit pores

Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations are used to study the behaviour of triangle-well (TW) fluids with variable well widths confined inside slit pores. The effect of individual factors influencing the properties of confined fluids such as fluid–fluid interactions, pore size and pore wall–fluid interactions are obtained using simulations as it is difficult to experimentally determine the same. An interesting observation of this study is that inside the narrow pore of slit height h* = 5 at the high-pressure condition of P* = 0.8, for the TW fluid with long-range attraction or for the fluid at a low temperature for even a short-range attraction, the density profiles show layering such that there is a sticking tendency of the particles at centre, while there is a depletion of particles near the wall (as the layers at the centre have higher density peak heights than near the walls).     

Neutron spin echo measurements of monolayer and capillary condensed water in MCM-41 at low temperatures

Neutron spin echo measurements of monolayer and capillary condensed heavy water (D(2)O) confined in MCM-41 C10 (pore diameter 2.10 nm) were performed in a temperature range of 190-298 K. The intermediate scattering functions were analyzed by the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts stretched exponential function. The relaxation times of confined D(2)O in the capillary condensed state follow remarkably well the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equation between 298 and 220 K, whereas below 220 K they show an Arrhenius type behavior. That is, the fragile-to-strong (FTS) dynamic crossover occurs, which has never been seen in experiments on bulk water. On the other hand, for monolayer D(2)O, the FTS dynamic crossover was not observed in the temperature range measured. The FTS dynamic crossover observed in capillary condensed water would take place in the central region of the pore, not near the pore surface. Because the tetrahedral-like water structure in the central region of the pore is more preserved than that near the pore surface, the FTS dynamic crossover would be concerned with the tetrahedral-like water structure.     

Melting of Naphthalene Confined in Mesoporous Silica MCM-41

The ²H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solid-echo spectra of naphthalene molecules as guests in the mesopores of neat MCM-41 with a pore width of 3.3 nm were measured in the temperature regime from 180 to 250 K. A strong reduction of the melting point of the naphthalene molecules by 152 K is observed. The line shape changes in the melting region were simulated with two different models, namely, the model of a narrow distribution of activation energies, which is typical for a crystal-like phase, and a two-phase model. Both models indicate a relatively narrow distribution of melting points of the naphthalene molecules inside the pores, indicative of a rather well-defined structure of the naphthalene molecules inside the pores. This finding supports the proposal of a plastic crystalline phase previously proposed by other groups.     

分子筛组装单质半导体碲的拉曼光谱

无机介孔材料MCM41是高有序,直孔道介孔分子筛,具有孔径约4nm的一维均匀孔道,孔壁厚约1nm,介孔体积可达40%,是一种很理想的组装材料主体。半导体碲位于第Ⅵ族,其六方相的晶格排列呈螺旋链状结构。本文采用固相合成反应方法,将单质半导体碲成功地组装在MCM41介孔分子筛中。在组装体中,单质半导体碲保持着六方相的晶体结构,其拉曼晶体振动表现出纳米晶体的结构特征。真空热处理实验表明,组装体具有良好的热稳定性。Te的六方相和所具有的独特的螺旋链状结构使Te分子很容易进入MCM41的直孔道内,同时MCM41均匀而规则的直孔道限制了Te螺旋链的随机排列,因而被组装在直孔道内的Te能螺旋链式生长,形成一维半导体纳米晶体,排列均匀,尺寸单一,具有稳定的空间构型