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.