[Structure and adsorption characterization of SBA-16 and functionalized materials]

Area of Science:

• Materials Science: Synthesis and characterization of ordered mesoporous silica materials.
• Surface Chemistry: Functionalization of silica surfaces with hydrocarbon chains.

Context:

• Ordered mesoporous silica materials like SBA-16 are investigated for various applications.
• Surface modification is crucial for tailoring material properties for specific uses, such as drug delivery.

Purpose:

• To synthesize and characterize SBA-16, a micro- and mesoporous material.
• To functionalize SBA-16 with octyltrimethoxysilane and octadecyltrimethoxysilane.
• To evaluate the impact of functionalization on the structural, textural, and adsorption properties of SBA-16.

Summary:

• SBA-16 was synthesized and characterized using techniques including nitrogen adsorption, SAXS, FT-IR, and TGA.
• Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed successful surface modification with hydrocarbon chains.
• Functionalized SBA-16 exhibited reduced structural regularity, lower BET surface area and pore volumes, and decreased adsorption capacities for n-heptane and toluene compared to pristine SBA-16.
• Despite reduced adsorption, functionalized SBA-16 demonstrated significantly lower affinity for water, suggesting improved hydrophobicity.

Impact:

• Provides fundamental insights into the structure-property relationships of functionalized mesoporous silica.
• Demonstrates the potential of hydrophobic SBA-16 materials for applications requiring reduced water affinity.
• Highlights the utility of functionalized SBA-16 as a candidate for future development as drug delivery carriers.