Microheterogeneity in phenyl group modified inorganic/organic hybrid gels after aerosol drying or slow solvent evaporation

Sol-gel systems were prepared by co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES). The sols were transferred into silica gels by Evaporation Induced Self-Assembly (EISA) or Aerosol Assisted Self-Assembly (AASA) using a laboratory spray-dryer. The structural properties such as porosity and homogeneity/microheterogeneity of these different systems are compared by N(2) sorption measurements, thermal analysis (TG, DTG and DTA), (29)Si MAS NMR and (29)Si{(1)H} CP MAS NMR. The cross polarization of the AASA gels can be described with the conventional I-S dynamics of a homogeneous proton spin bath. The EISA gels are heterogeneous, and the I-I(*)-S model, or a bimodal I-S model, was employed for the simulation of CP dynamics. Microheterogeneities are observed by (1)H-(29)Si cross polarization on an EISA sample, whereas rapid drying (AASA) transfers the corresponding sol into homogeneous xerogels. The EISA gels are microporous after calcination at 923 K, and the AASA gels are dense.