Viscosity,particle size distribution,and structural investigation of tetramethyloxysilane/2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate sols during the sol–gel process with acid and base catalysts

The tetramethoxysilane (TMOS)/2‐hydroxylethyl methacrylate (HEMA) hybrid gels were synthesized with acid and base catalysts, via the in situ polymerization of HEMA, with and without the cosolvent methanol. With methanol in the TMOS/HEMA sol, the enhanced esterification and depolymerization reactions of the silanols resulted in a slower growth of silica particles. The silica particles that were synthesized with an acid catalyst were less than 40 nm. The thermal resistance of the poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) chains was enhanced by the addition of colloidal silica. The Fourier transform infrared characterizations and the exothermal peaks on the differential scanning calorimetry traces of these hybrid gels indicated chemical hybridization occurring as a result of condensation of the colloid silica and PHEMA at higher temperatures. Hence, the residual weight content of the hybrid gel after its synthesis with the base catalyst was even higher than the content of TMOS in the hybrid sol. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3476–3486, 2004     

Review of recent advances in the preparation of organic polymer monoliths for liquid chromatography of large molecules

In recent years the use of monolithic polymers in separation science has greatly increased due to the advantages these materials present over particle-based stationary phases, such as their relative ease of preparation and good permeability. For these reasons, these materials present high potential as stationary phases for the separation and purification of large molecules such as proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and cells. An example of this is the wide range of commercial available polymer-based monolithic columns now present in the market.     

Review on recent and advanced applications of monoliths and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices

This review critically summarises recent novel and advanced achievements in the application of monolithic materials and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices appearing within the literature over the period of the last 5 years (2005-2010). The range of monolithic materials has developed rapidly over the past decade, with a diverse and highly versatile class of materials now available, with each exhibiting distinct porosities, pore sizes, and a wide variety of surface functionalities. A major advantage of these materials is their ease of preparation in micro-fluidic channels by in situ polymerisation, leading to monolithic materials being increasingly utilised for a larger variety of purposes in micro-fluidic platforms. Applications of porous polymer monoliths, silica-based monoliths and related homogeneous porous polymer gels in the preparation of separation columns, ion-permeable membranes, preconcentrators, extractors, electrospray emitters, micro-valves, electrokinetic pumps, micro-reactors and micro-mixers in micro-fluidic devices are discussed herein. Procedures used in the preparation of monolithic materials in micro-channels, as well as some practical aspects of the micro-fluidic chip fabrication are addressed. Recent analytical/bioanalytical and catalytic applications of the final micro-fluidic devices incorporating monolithic materials are also reviewed.     

Preparation and characterization of mixed-mode monolithic silica column for capillary electrochromatography

A silica-based monolithic stationary phase with mixed-mode of reversed phase (RP) and weak anion-exchange (WAX) for capillary electrochromatography (CEC) has been prepared. The mixed-mode monolithic silica column was prepared using the sol–gel technique and followed by a post-modification with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) and aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The amino groups on the surface of the stationary phase were used to generate a substantial anodic EOF as well as to provide electrostatic interaction sites for charged compounds at low pH. A cathodic EOF was observed at pH above 7.3 due to the full ionization of residual silanol groups and the suppression in the ionization of amino groups. A variety of analytes were used to evaluate the electrochromatographic characterization and column performance. The monolithic stationary phase exhibited RP chromatographic behavior toward neutral solutes. The model anionic solutes were separated by the mixed-mode mechanism, which comprised RP interaction, WAX, and electrophoresis. Symmetrical peaks can be obtained for basic solutes because positively charged amino groups can effectively minimize the adsorption of positively charged analytes to the stationary phase.     

Catalytic and spectroscopic properties of cytochrome-c, horseradish peroxidase, and ascorbate oxidase embedded in a sol-gel silica matrix as a function of gelation time

In this study, we investigated the optical features of the redox metal-dependent proteins cytochrome-c, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and ascorbate oxidase embedded in a sol-gel-processed silica matrix as a function of gelation time. Circular dichroism, absorbance, and fluorescence spectroscopies revealed that the sol-gel process affects the complex structure of the dimeric ascorbate oxidase (although the prosthetic coppers still remain bound to the enzyme) but not that of monomeric cytochrome-c and HRP. Any modifications in ascorbate oxidase occurred in the initial gelation phase; the drying process induced no further alterations and the enzyme remained stable for months. Unfolding-refolding experiments on cytochrome-c revealed severely restricted motility in the protein moiety in the xerogel, the concentrated matrix that forms after drying. The diffusion time of the solvent within the matrix, which regulated the enzyme-substrate reaction rate, depended on the thickness of the monolith, not on the dryness of the specimen.     

Microporous Silica Particles Prepared by the Salt-Catalytic Sol-Gel Process with Extremely Low Content of Water

Microporous silica was synthesized by the salt catalytic sol-gel process with extremely low content of water to tetramethoxysilane. Silica particles were precipitated even when the extent of hydrolysis was very low, since ammonium carbonate as a salt catalyst made the polycondensation faster than an acid catalyst. Microporous silica with a high surface area (680 m² g^–1) was obtained by combustion of methoxy groups at 450°C. The methoxy groups can be removed by the post-hydrolysis before heating. A high specific surface area (>750 m²g^–1) of microporous silica was obtained with pore diameter between 1.2 and 2.0 nm.     

聚甲氧基硅氧烷及其功能化产物研究Ⅰ.制备

通过正硅酸甲酯(TMOS)在酸性条件下的部分水解缩合反应制备了不同分子量的聚甲氧基硅氧烷(PMOS)，详细讨论了水与TMOS的摩尔比(r)对PMOS结构和性能的影响。用丙烯酸-2-羟乙酯(HEA)通过酯交换反应使PMOS的部分甲氧基变为丙烯酰氧乙氧基，从而得到可进行热聚合或光聚合反应的功能化聚甲氧基硅氧烷PAMOS，讨论了影响酯交换反应的各种因素。     

Preparation and properties of flexible free‐standing films via polyalkoxysiloxanes by acid‐catalyzed controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane and tetramethoxysilane

Acid‐catalyzed controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) provided polyalkoxysiloxanes PEOS and PMOS, with high molecular weight of 1100–12 000 or 2700–31 000, respectively. They were stable to self‐condensation, soluble in organic solvents, and especially characterized by high silica content of up to 62% (PEOS) and 72% (PMOS). Flexible and transparent free‐standing films with tensile strength of 1.6–5.2 MPa (PEOS) or 3.6–11.8 MPa (PMOS) were prepared by heating polyalkoxysilanes at 80°C for one to several days. They are also regarded to be a potential precursor for coatings and binders. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

聚甲氧基硅氧烷及其功能化产物研究Ⅱ.分子结构表征

通过正硅酸甲酯(TMOS)的水解缩合反应制备了聚甲氧基硅氧烷(PMOS)，其分子式可表示为：[SiOa(OH)b(OCH3)c]n。用丙烯酸-2-羟乙酯(HEA)进行酯交换后，制的功能化产物聚丙烯酰氧基甲基硅氧：烷(PAMOS)，其分子式可表示为：[SiOd(OH)c(OCH3)f(OCH2CH2OCOCH=CH2)g]k。通过二氧化硅分析、红外光谱(FTIR)、凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)等方法确定了分子式中a、b、c、n及d、e、f、g、k的值，是一种比较方便、快捷且准确的方法。     

Effect of process parameters on the polymer mediated synthesis of silica at neutral pH

We report herein the synthesis of well-defined silica structures atneutral pH and ambient conditions using poly(allylamine hydrochloride)(PAH), a cationically charged synthetic polymer, as a catalyst/template.Tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) was used as the precursor and the synthesisprocess parameters varied include TMOS pre-hydrolysis time(t_P), reaction time (t_R), buffer, molecular weightof the polymer, TMOS concentration, polymer concentration andperturbation of the reaction mixture. It was found that the TMOSpre-hydrolysis time was an important parameter governing the resultingsilica morphology along with the reaction time and the TMOSconcentration. Characterization of the silica was performed using SEM,FTIR, EDS and XRD. The poly(allylamine hydrochloride), which was thecatalyst/template, was found to be incorporated into the silicaparticles. These findings are of importance for understanding the roleof polypeptides, in nature, and macromolecules, in general, that arecapable of forming similar silica structures.