Nanoporous Organo-functional Silica Synthesis Based on a Purely Inorganic Precursor

In this study we report a rapid synthesis of nanoporous organo-functional silica (OFS) with unimodal and bimodal pore structures encompassing pores ranging from meso-to macroscale. The problems of tediousness and high production cost in the conventional syntheses are overcome by co-condensation of an inexpensive inorganic precursor, sodium silicate with an organosilane containing trimethyl groups. The insitu covalent anchoring of the non-polar trimethyl groups to the inner pore walls prohibits irreversible shrinkage of the wet-gel during microwave drying at ambient pressure and thus larger size pores (from ca. 20 to ca. 100 nm) can be retained in the dried silica. The drying process of the silylated wet-gels at an ambient pressure can be greatly accelerated upon microwave exposure instead of drying in an oven or furnace. Using this approach, anoporous and superhydrophobic silicas showing a wide variation in texture and morphology can be readily synthesized in roughly two hours. The effects of various sol-gel parameters solely on the textural properties of the organo-functional silica (OFS) have been investigated and discussed.