Fast Microwave-Assisted Synthesis, Calcination and Functionalization of a Silica Mesoporous Nanomaterial: UVM-7

We report here, for the first time, the use of a solid state microwave source for the synthesis, calcination and functionalization of a UVM-7 based hybrid mesoporous silica material. The synthesis of the UVM-7 material is obtained in 2 min at low power (50 W) by the combination of a microwave irradiation and the atrane route. Moreover, it has been successfully calcined and functionalized in just 13 and 4 min respectively with microwave assisted procedures. A total synthesis comprising each individually optimized step, can be executed in only 4 h including work-up, by contrast to a typical synthesis that comprises several days. Savings higher than one order or magnitude are obtained in time and energy. Our example is a proof of concept of the potential use of solid state microwave generators for the ultrafast on-command preparation of hybrid nanomaterials due to their accurate control and accelerating properties.

Automated summary

In this study, the use of a solid state microwave source for the synthesis, calcination and functionalization of a UVM-7 based hybrid mesoporous silica material was demonstrated. The synthesis of the material could be achieved in just 2 minutes at low power, while the calcination and functionalization processes only took 13 and 4 minutes respectively with microwave assisted procedures. The total synthesis time was significantly reduced compared to traditional methods, leading to significant time and energy savings.