Surface functionalized mesoporous material and method of making same
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsXiangdong Feng, Jun Liu, Glen E. Fryxell
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Abstract
According to the present invention, an organized assembly of functional molecules with specific interfacial functionality (functional group(s)) is attached to available surfaces including within mesopores of a mesoporous material. The method of the present invention avoids the standard base soak that would digest the walls between the mesopores by boiling the mesoporous material in water for surface preparation then removing all but one or two layers of water molecules on the internal surface of a pore. Suitable functional molecule precursor is then applied to permeate the hydrated pores and the precursor then undergoes condensation to form the functional molecules on the interior surface(s) of the pore(s).
Claims28
A surface functionalized mesoporous material, comprising:
- (a) a mesoporous material having a plurality of mesopores, and an available hydrated surface, said available hydrated surface having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the mesoporous material characterized by a surface area to mass ratio of at least about 200 m2/g;
- and
- (b) a first plurality of functional molecules containing functional groups attached to said available hydrated surface, wherein an amount of said first plurality of functional molecules upon said available hydrated surface is at least greater than about 10% of a total possible number of functional molecules attachable to said available hydrated surface.
A method of attaching a first plurality of functional molecules containing specific functional groups on an available surface including within pores of a mesoporous material, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) hydrating the mesoporous material followed by;
- (b) mixing the mesoporous material with a first plurality of precursor functional molecules;
- (c) stirring for a predetermined time permitting permeation of the precursor functional molecules throughout the pores;
- and
- (d) forming a surface functionalized mesoporous material wherein said precursor functional molecules are attached to said available surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.