Hierarchical Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials with Tunable Textural Properties Obtained Using Zeolitic-Layered Precursor

Novel layered zeolitic organic-inorganic materials have been synthesized using a two-dimensional zeolite precursor IPC-IP prepared by a top-down approach from zeolite UTL. The formation of porous materials containing organic linkers or polyhedral oligomeric siloxane covalently bonded to zeolite layers in the interlayer space was confirmed by a variety of characterization techniques (N-2/Ar sorption analysis, XRD, Si-29 and C-13 NMR, TEM). The organic-inorganic porous hybrids obtained by intercalation with silsesquioxane posessed layered morphology and contained large crystalline domains. The hybrids exhibited mesoporous or hierarchical micro-/mesoporous system's, stable up to 350 degrees C. Textural properties of the formed zeolitic organic-inorganic materials can be controlled by varying the linker or synthetic conditions over a broad range. Surface areas and pore volumes of synthesized hybrids significantly exceed those for parent zeolite UTL and corresponding swollen material; the amount of micropores increased with increasing rigidity and size of the organic linker in the order biphenyl > phenylene > ethanediyl.