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Size-tuning of hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) using a dual templating strategy

  • Invited Paper: Sol–gel, hybrids and solution chemistries
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Abstract

Monodispersed hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) with a controlled core cavity and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) shell are successfully synthesized using a dual templating approach. The PMO shell synthesized by the sol–gel route exhibits a hybrid organic-inorganic framework based on phenylene bridges. The HPMO spherical nanoparticles with a diameter above 500 nm were characterized using a multiscale approach through TEM, BET, SAXS, and FT-IR. They are shown to offer an open periodic mesoporosity, a hollow cavity with a size tailored by the diameter of the core template, and finally, a high surface area (833 m2 · g−1). In addition, we demonstrate that, through the same approach, the size of these hollow spherical nanoparticles can be tuned. Indeed, sub-50-nm hollow nanoparticles with mesoporous shells have also been obtained. The differences observed in the textural properties of these two sizes of hollow mesoporous nano-objects are discussed.

Graphical Abstract

In this work, we focused on the synthesis of hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) with the precise tuning of the core cavity and the PMO shell. The aim is to obtain two widely different sizes (above 500 nm and below 50 nm) while following the same synthesis strategy. For that, we subsequently used two templating routes: (1) spherical dense silica as a hard template to form the core cavity and (2) a cationic surfactant (CTAB) as soft template co-assembling with a bridged organosilane 1,4-Bis-triethoxysilylbenzene (BTEB) to form the mesoporous organosilica shell. Na2CO3 and HCl solutions are used to successively deliver the two kinds of porosity. Here, the silica cores with fixed diameters, easily obtained using the Stöber method, allow the control of the core cavity size of the HPMO-NPs.

Highlights

  • Dual templating strategy to synthesize HPMO nanospheres.

  • Successful size-tuning of HPMO nanoparticles using hard template route.

  • Uniform and monodisperse HPMO nanoparticles confirmed by TEM analysis.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Saïd Tahir (L2C, Montpellier, France) for SEM analyses and Dr Erwan Oliviero and Franck Godiard (Plateforme Microscopie Electronique et Analytique, University of Montpellier) for TEM experiments. Infrared measurements were carried out on the IRRAMAN technological platform of the University of Montpellier. This project is supported by the LabEx NUMEV within the I-Site MUSE and was also developed within the scope of the projects CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 and LA/P/0006/2020) and The Shape of Water (PTDC/NAN-PRO/3881/2020) financed by Portuguese funds through the FCT/MEC (PIDDAC). IEM thanks LabEx NUMEV and The Shape of Water FCT project for the PhD co-tutelle grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, UMR CNRS 5221, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Imane El Moujarrad, Rozenn Le Parc, David Maurin, Philippe Dieudonné & Jean-Louis Bantignies

  2. Phantom-g, CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal

    Imane El Moujarrad & Luís D. Carlos

  3. ICGM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France

    Carole Carcel, Philippe Trens & Michel Wong Chi Man

  4. ICSM, Univ Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, Marcoule, France

    Guillaume Toquer

  5. IBMM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France

    Corentin Gauthier & Magali Gary-Bobo

  6. NanoMedSyn, 15 Avenue Charles Flahault, Montpellier, France

    Corentin Gauthier

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  1. Imane El Moujarrad
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El Moujarrad, I., Le Parc, R., Carcel, C. et al. Size-tuning of hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) using a dual templating strategy. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 107, 302–311 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-023-06139-1

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