Textural mesoporosity and the catalytic activity of mesoporous molecular sieves with wormhole framework structures
Three different water-alcohol cosolvent systems were used to assemble mesoporous molecular sieve silicas with wormhole framework structures (previously denoted HMS silicas) from an electrically neutral amine surfactant (S{degree}) and a silicon alkoxide precursor (I{degree}). The fundamental particle size and associated textural (interparticle) porosity of the disordered structures were correlated with the solubility of the surfactant in the water-alcohol cosolvents used for the S{degree}I{degree} assembly process. Polar cosolvents containing relatively low volume fractions of C{sub n}H{sub 2n+1}OH alcohols (n = 1--3) gave heterogeneous surfactant emulsions that assembled intergrown aggregates of small primary particles with high textural pore volumes (designated HMS-HTx). Conversely, three-dimensional, monolithic particles with little or no textural porosity (designated HMS-LTx) were formed from homogeneous surfactant solutions in lower polarity cosolvents. Aluminum substituted AL-HMS-HTx analogues with high textural porosity and improved framework accessibility also were shown to be much more efficient catalysts than AL-HMS-LTx or monolithic forms of hexagonal AL-MCM-41 for the sterically demanding condensed phase alkylation of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol with cinnamyl alcohol. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies verified the textural differences between wormhole HMS and electrostatically assembled hexagonal MCM-41 and SBA-3 molecular sieves. Power law fits to the scattering data indicated a surface fractal (D{sub s} = 2.76) for HMS-HTx, consistent with rough surfaces. A second power law at lower-q indicated the formation of a mass fractal (D{sub m} = 1.83) consistent with branching of small fundamental particles. Hexagonal MCM-41 and SBA-3 silicas, on the other hand, exhibited scattering properties consistent with moderately rough surfaces (D{sub s} = 2.35 and 2.22, respectively) and large particle diameters ({much{underscore}gt}1 {micro} m). HMS-LTx silicas showed little or no mass fractal character (D{sub m} = 2.87), and no surface fractal scattering.
- Research Organization:
- Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 20000046
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 121, Issue 38; Other Information: PBD: 29 Sep 1999; ISSN 0002-7863
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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