Synthesis of silver nanoparticles confined in hierarchically porous monolithic silica: a new function in aromatic hydrocarbon separations

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been homogeneously introduced into hierarchically porous monolithic silica columns with well-defined macropores and SBA-15-type hexagonally ordered mesopores by using ethanol as the mild reductant. Within the cylindrical silica mesopores treated with aminopropyl groups as the host, monocrystalline Ag NPs and nanorods are obtained after being treated in silver nitrate/ethanol solution at room temperature for different durations of reducing time. The loading of Ag NPs in the monolith can be increased to 33 wt % by the repetitive treatment, which also led to the formation of polycrystalline Ag nanorods in the mesopores. Although the bare silica column cannot separate aromatic hydrocarbons, good separation of those molecules by noncharged Ag NPs confined in the porous structure of the monolith has been for the first time demonstrated with the Ag NP-embedded silica column. The NP-embedded monolithic silica would be a powerful separation tool for hydrocarbons with different number, position, and configuration of unsaturated bonds.