Amine-functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilicas

Ordered mesoporous materials have been synthesized by co-condensation of bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AAPTS) under basic conditions with supramolecular templates of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride as structure-directing agents. Incorporation of the templates into the mesoscopic composite was followed by surfactant extraction to form periodic mesoporous organosilicas. These materials have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen gas sorption, metal ion adsorption, elemental analysis, and high resolution thermogravimetric analysis. The effects of AAPTS concentration in the initial solutions on the chemical and structural properties of the final products are examined.