Model study of the effect of pore structure and condensation on multilayer adsorbate transport in porous media

A single-pore model approach to multilayer adsorbate transport in mesoporous media, previously shown to be capable of interpreting the observed behavior of relative vapor permeability PHs/PHL (or of the corresponding surface diffusion coefficient Ds), has been incorporated in a model pore network. The resulting more sophisticated model can simulate realistically the effect on PHs/PHL or Ds (i) of salient structural features of the porous medium (notably pore size dispersion and network connectivity) and (ii) of vapor condensation, which inevitably accompanies multilayer adsorbate transport in reality. An extensive generic parametric study of these effects has been performed on this basis. The results indicate that the aforementioned effects are ordinarily unlikely to induce substantial deviations of observed PHs/PHL behavior from the single-pore model benchmark. Thus, the utility of this simple model as a good basis for data analysis is confirmed, while the network model offers the possibility of exploiting external structural and other available information for a more refined interpretation of PHs/PHL behavior in particular mesoporous solid-vapor systems.     

Differential pressure-jump method for routine measurement of sorption kinetics

A sensitive pressure-jump method has been developed for the measurement and characterization of material transport in porous solids. The apparatus is automatically operated and the data evaluation is performed by means of numerical methods based on the Crank-Nicholson procedure. As an example, the sorption ofn-butane and ethene in spherical mesoporous silica gel pellets has been studied. In this way, it is possible to obtain uptake curves and in case of known particle shape to derive values for effective diffusion coefficients. From the pressure and temperature dependence ofD _e , information on the transport mechanism by means of Knudsen and surface diffusion can be obtained as well as the tortuosity factor characterizing the pore network.     

Interface chemistry of nanostructured materials: ion adsorption on mesoporous alumina

This paper presents a part of our work on understanding the effect of nanoscale pore space confinement on ion sorption by mesoporous materials. Acid-base titration experiments were performed on both mesoporous alumina and alumina particles under various ionic strengths. The point of zero charge (PZC) for mesoporous alumina was measured to be approximately 9.1, similar to that for nonmesoporous alumina materials, indicating that nanoscale pore space confinement does not have a significant effect on the PZC of pore surfaces. However, for a given pH deviation from the PZC, (pH-PZC), the surface charge per mass on mesoporous alumina was as much as 45 times higher than that on alumina particles. This difference cannot be fully explained by the surface area difference between the two materials. Our titration data have demonstrated that nanoscale confinement has a significant effect, most likely via the overlap of the electric double layer (EDL), on ion sorption onto mesopore surfaces. This effect cannot be adequately modeled by existing surface complexation models, which were developed mostly for an unconfined solid-water interface. Our titration data have also indicated that the rate of ion uptake by mesoporous alumina is relatively slow, probably due to diffusion into mesopores, and complete equilibration for sorption could take 4-5 min. A molecular simulation using a density functional theory was performed to calculate ion adsorption coefficients as a function of pore size. The calculation has shown that as pore size is reduced to nanoscales (<10 nm), the adsorption coefficients of ions can vary by more than two orders of magnitude relative to those for unconfined interfaces. The prediction is supported by our experimental data on Zn sorption onto mesoporous alumina. Owing to their unique surface chemistry, mesoporous materials can potentially be used as effective ion adsorbents for separation processes and environmental cleanup.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanoparticulate MnS within the pores of mesoporous silica

Mesoporous silica was loaded with nanoparticulate MnS via a simple post-synthesis treatment. The mesoporous material that still contained surfactant was passivated to prevent MnS formation at the surface. The surfactant was extracted and a novel manganese ethylxanthate was used to impregnate the pore network. This precursor thermally decomposes to yield MnS particles that are smaller or equal to the pore size. The particles exhibit all three common polymorphs. The passivation treatment is most effective at lower loadings because at the highest loadings (SiO₂:MnS molar ratio of 6:1) large particles (>50 nm) form at the exterior of the mesoporous particles. The integrity of the mesoporous network is maintained through the preparation and high order is maintained. The MnS particles exhibit unexpected ferromagnetism at low temperatures. Strong luminescence of these samples is observed and this suggests that they may have a range of important application areas.     

Mesoporous aluminum phosphite

High surface area pure mesoporous aluminum-phosphorus oxide-based derivatives have been synthesized through an S⁺I⁻ surfactant-assisted cooperative mechanism by means of a one-pot preparative procedure from aqueous solution and starting from aluminum atrane complexes and phosphoric and/or phosphorous acids. A soft chemical extraction procedure allows opening the pore system of the parent as-prepared materials by exchanging the surfactant without mesostructure collapse. The nature of the pore wall can be modulated from mesoporous aluminum phosphate (ALPO) up to total incorporation of phosphite entities (mesoporous aluminum phosphite), which results in a gradual evolution of the acidic properties of the final materials. While phosphate groups in ALPO act as network building blocks (bridging Al atoms), the phosphite entities become basically attached to the pore surface, what gives practically empty channels. The mesoporous nature of the final materials is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms. The materials present regular unimodal pore systems whose order decreases as the phosphite content increases. NMR spectroscopic results confirm the incorporation of oxo-phosphorus entities to the framework of these materials and also provide us useful information concerning the mechanism through which they are formed.     

Hydrogen bonding of water confined in mesoporous silica MCM-41 and SBA-15 studied by 1H solid-state NMR

The adsorption of water in two mesoporous silica materials with cylindrical pores of uniform diameter, MCM-41 and SBA-15, was studied by 1H MAS (MAS=magic angle spinning) and static solid-state NMR spectroscopy. All observed hydrogen atoms are either surface -SiOH groups or hydrogen-bonded water molecules. Unlike MCM-41, some strongly bound water molecules exist at the inner surfaces of SBA-15 that are assigned to surface defects. At higher filling levels, a further difference between MCM-41 and SBA-15 is observed. Water molecules in MCM-41 exhibit a bimodal line distribution of chemical shifts, with one peak at the position of inner-bulk water, and the second peak at the position of water molecules in fast exchange with surface -SiOH groups. In SBA-15, a single line is observed that shifts continuously as the pore filling is increased. This result is attributed to a different pore-filling mechanism for the two silica materials. In MCM-41, due to its small pore diameter (3.3 nm), pore filling by pore condensation (axial-pore-filling mode) occurs at a low relative pressure, corresponding roughly to a single adsorbed monolayer. For SBA-15, owing to its larger pore diameter (8 nm), a gradual increase in the thickness of the adsorbed layer (radial-pore-filling mode) prevails until pore condensation takes place at a higher level of pore filling.     

Gas diffusion and microstructural properties of ordered mesoporous silica fibers

Pore and surface diffusion of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and ethylene (C(2)H(4)) in the nanopores of ordered mesoporous silica fibers about 200 microm in length was measured by the transient gravimetric method. The experimentally determined pore diffusivity data, coupled with the porosity, pore size, and fiber length, are used to obtain the actual length of the nanopores in silica fibers. These measurements reveal a structure of the ordered nanopores whirling helically around the fiber axis with a spiral diameter of about 15 microm and a pitch value of 1.6 microm. At room temperature the surface diffusion contributes about 10% to the total diffusional flux for these two gases in the nanopores of the ordered mesoporous silica fibers. The surface diffusion coefficients for the ordered mesoporous silica fibers are about 1 order of magnitude larger than the non-ordered mesoporous alumina or silica with similar pore size.     

Synthesis of high surface area Al-containing mesoporous silica from calcined and acid leached kaolinites as the precursors

Al-containing mesoporous silicas were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of microporous silica prepared by selectively acid leached metakaolinites with Si/Al = 3.9-92.5 mixed with a surfactant of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr). The specific surface area of the products increased with higher surfactant/microporous silica (surf/Si) ratio and Si/Al ratio of the microporous silica, reaching about 1400 m2/g at CTABr/Si 0.1 and Si/Al 40. The XRD patterns of these products show a hexagonal (100) peak with the lattice parameter a0=4.2-4.3 nm and the N2 adsorption isotherms show steep increase of adsorption between relative pressure of 0.3 and 0.4. Hexagonal mesoporous microstructure is observed by high resolution TEM. The pore size distributions of the products show a sharp peak at 2.8 nm by the BJH method. The high specific surface area of the present mesoporous samples is attributed to the lower matrix density and surface roughness of mesopore wall. The highest specific surface area of the products reached up to 1420 m2/g and this value is apparently higher than those reported in hexagonal mesoporous silicas. A unique microporous structure of the starting material is thought to be related to achieve such a high specific surface area of the products.     

介孔分子筛HMS-Al、HMS-Et的制备与表征

HMS[1]是六方结构的介孔二氧化硅分子筛,由中性表面活性剂和中性无机物通过氢键自组装途径合成,具有较大的比表面积和较大的孔容,孔径大小均一。相对于介孔分子筛MCM-41[2]来说,HMS具有较厚的骨架内壁和较丰富的表面羟基,在制备过程中所用模板剂(十六胺)可通过乙醇萃取的方法脱     

Supercritical carbon dioxide processing of fluorinated surfactant templated mesoporous silica thin films

The effect of processing mesoporous silica thin films with supercritical CO2 immediately after casting is investigated, with a goal of using the penetration of CO2 molecules in the tails of fluorinated surfactant templates to tailor the final pore size. Well-ordered films with two-dimensional hexagonal close-packed pore structure are synthesized using a cationic fluorinated surfactant, 1-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-heptadecafluorodecyl)pyridinium chloride, as a templating agent. Hexagonal mesopore structures are obtained for both unprocessed films and after processing the cast films in CO2 at constant pressure (69-172 bar) and temperature (25-45 degrees C) for 72 h, followed by traditional heat treatment steps. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis reveal significant increases in pore size for all CO2-treated thin films (final pore diameter up to 4.22 +/- 0.14 nm) relative to the unprocessed sample (final pore diameter of 2.21 +/- 0.20 nm) before surfactant extraction. Similar pore sizes are obtained with liquid and supercritical fluid treatments over the range of conditions tested. These results demonstrate that combining the tunable solvent strength of compressed and supercritical CO2 with the "CO2-philic" nature of fluorinated tails allows one to use CO2 processing to control the pore size in ordered mesoporous silica films.     

Molecular simulation study on adsorption of methanol/water mixtures in mesoporous silicas modified pore surface silylation

Two types of molecular simulation techniques have been utilized to investigate adsorption of methanol/water mixtures in a mesoporous silica with a hydrophobic pore surface: the NVT-ensemble Molecular Dynamics method with the melt-quench algorithm for modeling a fully-silylated mesoporous silica and the μVT-ensemble Orientaional-Biased Monte Carlo method for calculating adsorption isotherms. Adsorption isotherms of methanol and water at 333 K are calculated for an equi-relative-pressure mixture (each component has the same relative pressure which is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure to the saturation pressure of the pure gas) together with pure gases. In the case of the pure gas, water hardly adsorb even at elevated pressures, while the adsorption isotherm for methanol shows the condensable adsorption. On the other hand, in the case of the mixture, water molecules are substantially adsorbed along with methanol molecules, showing an isotherm representing the condensation mechanism. In addition, it is found that the separation factor of methanol to water is the highest in the case of monolayer adsorption from a liquid mixture.     

Facile Synthesis of Mesoporous Si-containing γ-Al2O3Nanofiber with Enhanced Thermal Stability

Mesoporous γ-Al₂O₃ nanofiber was prepared via a simple reverse precipitation route using Si-containing Al(OH)₃ and HNO₃ as raw materials. The resultant Si-containing mesoporous γ-Al₂O₃ nanofiber exhibited high surface area of 320 m²/g, large pore volume of 1.17 cm³/g and large pore size of 10.5 nm. The introduction of Si element remarkably enhanced the thermal stability of mesoporous γ-Al₂O₃. The as-prepared nanofiber could maintain relative high surface area(110 m²/g) and pore volume(0.73 cm³/g) up to 1100 ℃. The effects of various experimental conditions, such as pH value, reaction temperature and aging temperature on the structural properties of the mesoporous γ-Al₂O₃ were also investigated.     

Experimental study of the immiscible displacement of shear-thinning fluids in pore networks

The pore scale mechanisms and network scale transient pattern of the immiscible displacement of a shear-thinning nonwetting oil phase (NWP) by a Newtonian wetting aqueous phase (WP) are investigated. Visualization imbibition experiments are performed on transparent glass-etched pore networks at a constant unfavorable viscosity ratio and varying values of the capillary number (Ca), and equilibrium contact angle (theta(e)). Dispersions of ozokerite in paraffin oil are used as the shear-thinning NWP, and aqueous solutions of PEG colored with methylene blue are used as the Newtonian WP. At high Ca values, the tip splitting and lateral spreading of WP viscous fingers are suppressed; at intermediate Ca values, the primary viscous fingers expand laterally with the growth of smaller capillary fingers; at low Ca values, network spanning clusters of capillary fingers separated by hydraulically conductive noninvaded zones of NWP arise. The spatial distribution of the mobility of shear-thinning NWP over the pore network is very broad. Pore network regions of low NWP mobility are invaded through a precursor advancement/swelling mechanism even at relatively high Ca and theta(e) values; this mechanism leads to irregular interfacial configurations and retention of a substantial amount of NWP along pore walls; it becomes the dominant mechanism in displacements performed at low Ca and theta(e) values. The residual NWP saturation increases and the end WP relative permeability decreases as Ca increases and both become more sensitive to this parameter as the shear-thinning behavior strengthens. The shear-thinning NWP is primarily entrapped in individual pores of the network rather than in clusters of pores bypassed by the WP. At relatively high flow rates, the amplitude of the variations of pressure drop, caused by fluid redistribution in the pore network, increase with shear-thinning strengthening, whereas at low flow rates, the motion of stable and unstable menisci in pores is reflected in strong pressure drop fluctuations.     

Tuning stability of mesoporous silica films under biologically relevant conditions through processing with supercritical CO2

Mesoporous materials have been proposed for use in numerous biological environments such as substrates for cell culture and controlled release for drug delivery. Although mesoporous silica synthesis is facile, recent reports (Dunphy et al. Langmuir 2003, 19, 10403; Bass et al. Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 4349) have demonstrated instability (dissolution) of pure mesoporous silica films under biologically relevant conditions. In this work, we demonstrate a simple processing handle (pressure) to control the dissolution of mesoporous silica films that are synthesized using preformed template films and supercritical CO 2. Spectroscopic ellipsometry is utilized to quantify changes in both the film thickness and porosity; these properties provide insight into the dissolution mechanism. The pore size increases as the films are exposed to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) through preferential dissolution at the pore wall in comparison to the film surface; a mechanism reminiscent of bulk erosion of scaffolds for drug delivery. Thin mesoporous silica film lifetimes can be extended from several hours using traditional sol-gel approaches to days by using CO 2 processing for identical film thickness. Osteoblast attachment and viability on these films was found to correlate with their increased stability. This enhanced stability opens new possibilities for the utilization of mesoporous silica for biological applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering.     

Preliminary studies on the potential for gas separation by mesoporous ceramic oxide membranes surface modified by alkyl phosphonic acids

A composite ceramic-organic membrane has been prepared by chemical grafting of organo-phosphate molecules to the surface of an aluminium-oxide membrane. Gas-transport mechanism through the initial mesoporous membrane with pore size of 5 nm is essentially based on Knudsen diffusion and so does not give significant separation factors between gases of similar molecular weights. Modification of membrane surface properties allows control of the relative contribution of differing transport mechanisms. Modified membranes have been tested for various gas permeations (methane, ethane, propane, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide) at room temperature. The modified membranes display high permeability and high selectivity coefficient for propane/nitrogen separation. The chemical, physical and geometrical properties of the modifying molecules can be chosen in order to improve the performances of any specific application.     

Mesoporous SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> produced by mineralization of yeast cells as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Mes oporous SiO₂ (yeast-SiO₂/C) was successfully prepared by mineralization of yeast cell template under different pH values. Analysis of the nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms indicated that the pore size distribution of the mesoporous yeast-SiO₂ samples significantly varies depending on the pH value used f or biomineralization. Average pore diameters for the samples synthesized at pH 5.0, 7.0, and 11.0 were found to be 7.9, 17.8, and 9.4 nm, respectively. The mineralization ability of silicon ions can be enhanced using conditions with a higher acidity. The air electrodes fabricated using the yeast-SiO₂ mesoporous composites exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity in oxygen reduction reaction under alkaline conditions. The mesoporous sample synthesized at pH 5.0 showed the highest electrocatalytic performance in the oxygen reduction reaction; this sample has the largest surface area and the highest total pore volume. It is supposed that the mesoporous structure of the nanocomposites predetermined by the yeast cell template significantly reduced the electrochemical polarization and improved mass transport in the air diffusion electrode.     

Adsorption-Desorption Flow of Condensable Vapors through Mesoporous Media: Network Modeling and Percolation Theory

Flow of condensable vapors in mesoporous media is investigated theoretically and experimentally during adsorption and desorption processes. A typical permeability curve of a condensable vapor is strongly enhanced in the capillary condensation region. This is because additional capillary pressure gradients are imposed on the capillary-condensed pores, which act as "good" conductors compared to the noncondensed pores, which are considered "poor" conductors. The percolation scaling properties that hold for a system of "good" and "poor" conductors are confirmed for the cases examined. As the ratio of gas flow/capillary-enhanced flow decreases, the rise of permeability with pressure becomes sharper. The network connectivity has a strong impact on the maximum permeability value and on the width of the scaling law regions. The contribution of surface flow does not affect the permeability in the peak region, but results in a shrinkage of the scaling law regions. During desorption, a marked hysteresis in the permeability curves is found and it is attributed only to thermodynamic hysteresis. The maximum permeability values in this case are higher and shifted to lower relative pressures. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

有机胺修饰具有较大孔径介孔材料的二氧化碳吸附性能

以非离子表面活性剂P123为模板剂,正硅酸甲酯为硅源,通过加入不同的扩孔剂制得具有较大孔径的SBA-15类介孔材料,并采用粉末X射线衍射(XRD)、低温氮气吸附-脱附、扫描电镜(SEM)、傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱等手段对所得样品进行了表征.加入扩孔剂可以明显增大介孔材料的孔容和孔径,而异辛烷为扩孔剂的扩孔效果明显优于四氯化碳.经四乙烯五胺(TEPA)镀饰后,这些样品均表现出良好的CO2吸附性能.其中对于除去模板剂后再镀胺的样品,其CO2吸附能力与介孔材料孔道结构关系不大,而对于未除模板剂的原粉镀胺样品,CO2吸附能力则随孔道的变大而增强.此外,通过吸附等温线和CO2-程序升温脱附(TPD)手段比较了温度和压力对CO2吸附的影响,发现在较高温度下吸附时CO2的吸附能力随压力的变化存在显著差别,因而在这类TEPA修饰的介孔材料上可通过变压吸附的途径来实现对环境气流中CO2的吸附和分离.     

介孔氧化铝的制备及其在甲醇脱水制二甲醚反应中的应用

以硝酸铝为铝源,以十六烷基三甲基溴化铵为阳离子模板剂,采用均匀沉淀法成功制得热稳定性较高和高度有序的介孔Al2O3(其比表面积179.8 m2/g,孔径5.4 am,孔体积0.3 cm3/g),并用于甲醇脱水制二甲醚反应中.结果表明,在280℃,液时空速为30 h-1条件下,甲醇转化率为90.2%,二甲醚时空收率最高可...