Polymer and Mesoporous Silica Microspheres with Chiral Nematic Order from Cellulose Nanocrystals

Polymer microspheres with chiral nematic order were obtained from an emulsion polymerization technique using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the template. The growth of the liquid crystals from tiny tactoids to droplets with spherical symmetry was captured and investigated by both optical and electron microscopy for the first time. The size of the microspheres could be tuned between tens and hundreds of micrometers; to obtain single, integrated chiral nematic kernels, the size of water droplets in the emulsion should be similar to that of CNC tactoids. Through a double‐matrix templating method, novel silica microspheres with chiral nematic order were fabricated, which showed a high surface area and mesoporosity. The methods developed here may help to reveal the evolution of other self‐assembling systems, and these materials have potential applications in optical devices and chiral separations.     

Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica in Confined Environments

Confined tubes : Periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) mesophases were synthesized within the confined tubular environment of anodic alumina membrane (AAM) channels, resulting in the formation of either the hexagonal circular or the cubic mesophase.

     

Synthesis and Characterization of Mesoporous Silica Templated by Amphiphilic RTILs

This article reports a novel preparation of mesoporous silica with series of 1-alky-3-methylimidazolium bromide (C_nMIM)Br (n = 12, 14, 16), a kind of amphiphilic room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), as a template via a sol-gel nanocasting technique. The pore morphology and structures of these mesoporous silica were characterized by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the RTIL bearing longer alkyl chain is preferred to form the mesoporous silica material with bigger pores. (C₁₆MIM)Br has been chosen to study how the various influencing factors affect the synthesis and structure of the mesoporous silica material, such as the acid concentration, the solling time, the gelling time and the calcination time. N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms measurement was used to characterize the pore size distribution and BET surface area. The results indicate that all of the factors can make an influence on the preparation of the mesoporous silica, which is more sensitive to the concentration of the acid.     

疏水性有序介孔氧化硅薄膜的制备

采用溶胶−凝胶技术并结合蒸发诱导自组装工艺, 以三嵌段共聚物EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀ (P123)为模板剂, 使用浸渍提拉法制备了有序介孔氧化硅薄膜, 并使用不同的表面修饰剂对薄膜进行表面处理, 制备了疏水性有序介孔氧化硅薄膜. 利用FT-IR、小角XRD、HRTEM分别表征薄膜的化学物种和孔结构, 探讨了热处理温度和老化时间对薄膜介孔结构的影响, 通过接触角测试研究薄膜的疏水性能, 考察了修饰剂种类、修饰浓度和修饰时间对薄膜疏水性的影响, 结果表明所制备的薄膜为高度有序的介孔氧化硅薄膜, 孔径大小约为8 nm|表面修饰对薄膜的有序性有一定影响, 经三甲基氯硅烷(TMCS)和g-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(KH-550)修饰后的薄膜具有很好的疏水性能, 接触角分别为112°和96°|修饰后薄膜的水汽稳定性良好, 仍能保持有序介孔结构, 孔径达7.5 nm, 接触角达93°.     

Gemini Surfactants Templated Mesoporous Silica Microparticles: from Solid to Hollow Mesoporous Spheres

We synthesized a series of mesoporous silica microparticles (MSs) using cationic gemini surfactants C_14–2‐n (n = 2, 6, 10, 14) as templates. The porous structures and pore size of these MSs can be tuned by varying the length of alkyl chain in gemini surfactant templates. These MSs showed effective doxorubicin (DOX) loading and a pH‐responsive drug release characteristics. These results indicate that the MSs, especially the hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles, have great potential for biomedical applications.     

Robust Amino-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Hollow Spheres Templated by CO2 Bubbles

Hollow-structured mesoporous silica has wide applications in catalysis and drug delivery due to its high surface area, large hollow space, and short diffusion mesochannels. However, the synthesis of hollow structures usually requires sacrificial templates, leading to increased production costs and environmental problems. Here, for the first time, amino-functionalized mesoporous silica hollow spheres were synthesized by using CO₂ gaseous bubbles as templates. The assembly of anionic surfactants, co-structure directing agents, and inorganic silica precursors around CO₂ bubbles formed the mesoporous silica shells. The hollow silica spheres, 200–400 nm in size with 20–30 nm spherical shell thickness, had abundant amine groups on the surface of the mesopores, indicating excellent applications for CO₂ capture, Knoevenagel condensation reaction, and the controlled release of Drugs.     

中空纳米二氧化硅微球的制备及表征

本文介绍了一种制备中空纳米二氧化硅微球的新方法。利用模板首先合成介孔纳米二氧化硅微球,再用水热反应法,成功制备了非功能化和巯基、氨基功能化中空纳米二氧化硅微球。利用透射电子显微镜,热重分析等手段对其形貌进行了表征。另外,对中空介孔纳米二氧化硅微球的形成机制进行了探讨。     

纳米介孔氧化铁的制备

纳米氧化铁的许多优异性能使其成为广泛的研究热点。本文介绍了纳米氧化铁的制备及其颗粒大小、形貌控制等方面的进展状况。综述了各种不同形态介孔氧化铁及含铁介孔纳米复合材料的研究进展,结合课题组的研究工作,重点评述了介孔氧化铁的制备进展,并对该领域的研究方向和需要解决的问题提出了自己的观点。     

Multi-stimuli Photo and Redox-active Nanostructured Mesoporous Silica Films on Transparent Electrodes

Silica matrices hosting transition metal guest complexes may offer remarkable platforms for the development of advanced functional devices. We report here the elaboration of ordered and vertically oriented mesoporous silica thin films containing covalently attached tris(bipyridine)iron derivatives using a combination of electrochemically assisted self-assembly (EASA) method and Huisgen cycloaddition reaction. Such a versatile approach is primarily used to bind nitrogen-based chelating ligands such as (4-[(2-propyn-1-yloxy)]4’-methyl-2,2’-bypiridine, bpy’) inside the nanochannels. Further derivatization of the bpy’-functionalized silica thin films is then achieved via a subsequent in-situ complexation step to generate [Fe(bpy)₂(bpy’)]²⁺ inside the mesopore channels. After giving spectroscopic evidences for the presence of such complexes in the functionalized film, electrochemistry is used to transform the confined diamagnetic (S=0) species to paramagnetic (S=1/2) oxidized species in a reversible way, while blue light irradiation (λ=470 nm) enables populating the short-lived paramagnetic (S=2) excited state. [Fe(bpy)₂(bpy’)]²⁺-functionalized ordered films are therefore both electro- and photo-active through the manipulation of the oxidation state and spin state of the confined complexes, paving the way for their integration in optoelectronic devices.     

Responsive Mesoporous Photonic Cellulose Films by Supramolecular Cotemplating

Cellulose‐based materials have been and continue to be exceptionally important for humankind. Considering the bioavailability and societal relevance of cellulose, turning this renewable resource into an active material is a vital step towards sustainability. Herein we report a new form of cellulose‐derived material that combines tunable photonic properties with a unique mesoporous structure resulting from a new supramolecular cotemplating method. A composite of cellulose nanocrystals and a urea–formaldehyde resin organizes into a chiral nematic assembly, which yields a chiral nematic mesoporous continuum of desulfated cellulose nanocrystals after alkaline treatment. The mesoporous photonic cellulose (MPC) films undergo rapid and reversible changes in color upon swelling, and can be used for pressure sensing. These new active mesoporous cellulosic materials have potential applications in biosensing, optics, functional membranes, chiral separation, and tissue engineering.     

有序介孔氧化硅薄膜制备及其组装化学

本文综述了近年来利用有机模板法合成有序介孔二氧化硅薄膜的研究进展，重点阐述了两相界面外延生长和蒸发诱导自组装两种制备方法及其合成机理。此外，讨论了有序介孔二氧化硅薄膜的组装化学，包括金属元素掺杂，纳米粒子在介孔薄膜中的组装，以及有机物/二氧化硅纳米复合薄膜的制备，并对介孔二氧化硅薄膜未来的发展趋势做了展望。     

A Zinc Phthalocyanine Based Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Exhibiting Charge Transfer to Fullerenes

Periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials offer a strategy to position molecular semiconductors within a highly defined, porous network. We developed thin films of a new semiconducting zinc phthalocyanine‐bridged PMO exhibiting a face‐centered orthorhombic pore structure with an average pore diameter of 11 nm. The exceptional degree of order achieved with this PMO enabled us to create thin films consisting of a single porous domain throughout their entire thickness, thus providing maximal accessibility for subsequent incorporation of a complementary phase. The phthalocyanine building blocks inside the pore walls were found to be well‐aggregated, enabling electronic conductivity and extending the light‐harvesting capabilities to the near IR region. Ordered 3D heterojunctions capable of promoting photo‐induced charge transfer were constructed by impregnation of the PMO with a fullerene derivative. When integrated into a photovoltaic device, the infiltrated PMO is capable of producing a high open‐circuit voltage and a considerable photocurrent, which represents a significant step towards potential applications of PMOs in optoelectronics.     

纳米TiO2介孔薄膜的模板组装制备研究

以TiCl₄为无机前驱体、三嵌段高分子共聚物EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀为模板剂，在非水条件下制备了有序的锐钛矿TiO₂纳米晶介孔薄膜。通过热重-差热（TG-DTA）分析、X射线衍射（XRD）分析、原子力显微观察（AFM）及N₂吸附-脱附等测试对样品进行了表征。结果表明，薄膜具有均一的大介孔孔径（～10 nm），其BET比表面积为150 m²·g^-1，薄膜较宽的无机壁厚显著提高了介孔结构的热稳定性。通过红外（IR）光谱分析考察了溶胶-凝胶过程中发生的物理化学变化。在对薄膜表面形貌进行AFM观察的基础上初步探讨了嵌段共聚物EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀对薄膜孔结构形成的导向机理。     

不同酸对介孔二氧化硅球表面形貌和介相结构的影响

在室温、不同酸性条件下合成出微米级球形介孔二氧化硅材料，通过XRD、SEM以及氮气吸附等手段对介孔二氧化硅材料进行了表征。用TEM跟踪不同反应时间介孔二氧化硅球的形成，对这些球颗粒的合成机理进行了讨论，同时探讨了不同酸性条件下介孔二氧化硅表面形貌和介相结构的变化。     

Uniform Mesoporous Silica Hexagon and Its Two‐Dimensional Colloidal Crystal

Well‐ordered mesoporous silica nanoparticles with uniform hexagonal disk shapes are synthesized under dilute alkaline conditions with a two‐step process, separating the nucleation and growth process. The resulting monodisperse hexagons can be arranged in a 2‐dimensional (2D) ordered periodical super‐structure. The hexagonal symmetry is similar in both scales. A statistical mechanical cell model is applied to analyze consequences of the interesting packing structure, including osmotic bulk modulus, phase separation and defects.     

气-液界面有序介孔SiO2无机膜的仿生合成

早在几百万年以前,自然界就通过生物矿化过程形成了结构高度有序的有机/无机复合材料,如哺乳动物的牙床、骨骼以及贝壳珍珠层等[1]。随着对天然生物材料生物矿化过程研究的逐渐深入,材料研究者从中得到极为重要的启示:先形成有机物自组装体,无机先驱物在自组装聚集体与溶液相的界面处发生化学反应,在有机自组装体的模板作用下,形成有机/无机复合体,再将有机模板去除即可得到具有一定形状与组织结构的无机材料。这种模仿生物矿化中无机物在有机物调制下形成过程的材料合成,称为仿生合成(biomimetic synthesis)[2]。仿生合成过程中,通过选择有…     

Platinum-Imidazolyl Schiff Base Complexes Immobilized in Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Frameworks as Catalysts for Hydrosilylation

An imidazolyl Schiff base-containing periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) was synthesized via co-condensation reactions between a newly prepared bis (imidazolyl)imine-bridged bis silane and tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as a soft template. The resultant as-synthesized PMO was then employed as a solid support for platinum catalysts. This complex was fully characterized via various techniques including FTIR, solid-state¹³C NMR, and ²⁹Si-NMR spectroscopy, as well as N₂ adsorption/desorption analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. In addition, the catalyst was proven to efficiently mediate hydrosilylation reactions between olefins and hydrosilanes, and it can be reused for at least five cycles without significant loss of activity.     

Cobalt Ion Incorporation into Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Materials Synthesized by Co-condensation of 1,2-Bistrimethoxysilylethane with 3-Glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane

Bifunctional periodic mesoporous organosilica materials with and without cobalt ion incorporation were synthesized by co-condensation of 1,2-bistrimethoxysilylethane (BTME) with 3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane (GPTS) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Nitrogen gas adsorption on samples with varying ratios of BTME:GPTS revealed that increasing the amount of GPTS affects pore size, surface area and pore volume as well as shapes of the isotherms and hysteresis loops. The hysteresis loops of the Type IV isotherms obtained for GPTS-modified ethane silica materials (without cobalt ion) change from Type H3 to Type H4 with increasing GPTS content. There is a tendency for pore sizes to change from mesopore to micropore when the amount of GPTS is increased. Isotherms of cobalt ion incorporated GPTS-modified ethane silica materials change from Type IV to Type I with increasing GPTS content. The surface area, pore volume and pore diameter decrease with increasing loading of GPTS as well as after cobalt ion incorporation. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis show that the surfactant is removed by solvent extraction. Cobalt ion incorporation is confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy.     

A Mesoporous Superlattice Consisting of Alternately Stacking Interstitial Nanospace within Binary Silica Colloidal Crystals

A novel class of nonclassical structures of mesoporous silica, namely a binary nanoparticle mesoporous superlattice (BNMS), is obtained by the assembly of silica nanospheres of different sizes into a binary colloidal crystal. The colloidal crystal has a CrB‐type structure and consists of alternate stacks of unary fcc and binary AlB₂‐type structures along the b axis and has four types of interstitial mesopores. The BNMS can be deposited on a substrate by dip coating to form an oriented thin film in which the direction of the superstructure (b axis) is perpendicular to the substrate.