in situ and post reaction cobalt-incorporation into aminopropyl-modified periodic mesoporous organosilica materials

Bifunctional periodic mesoporous organosilica materials with and without cobalt ion incorporation were synthesized by co-condensation of 1,2-bistrimethoxysilylethane (BTME) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Cobalt was incorporated onto APTS-modified ethylene-bridged silica materials by in situ and by incipient wetness addition methods. The periodicity of the new materials is indicated by the presence of low angle diffraction peaks found in the XRD profiles (pore size ca. 40 nm). The surface area, pore volume and pore diameter of the new ethylene-bridged silica materials decreased with increasing loading of APTS as well as after cobalt incorporation. Thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy show that the surfactant is removed by solvent extraction. Cobalt ion incorporation is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.