Tewodros Asefa, Elizabeth Blair, Krishna Sharma, Semonti Sinharoy, Johanna Wiesebauer, and Yang Wang. Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Nanoscience and nanotechnology have produced many types of monofunctionalized materials, materials having one type of functional group or composition. The development of multifunctional inorganic-organic hybrid nanomaterials having two or more functional groups can result in materials with unique and superior properties. Such multifunctional nanomaterials are important as efficient catalysts for chemical transformations and for targeted drug delivery. Our group has been synthesizing multifunctional organosilica mesoporous materials containing two or more functional groups within a high surface area nanoporous structure. By design and synthesis of the functional groups within the materials, we have developed trifunctional organosilica and organosilica-titania materials containing sulfonic acid (solid acid), titania (Lewis acid) and gold (Au) nanoparticle catalytic units and that can catalyze epoxidation reaction of cyclohexene-1-one. By using a mixture of organosilanes such as 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, we also synthesized multifunctional nanomaterials that can controllably release dye molecules (Rhodamine 6-G) and drug molecules (Ibuprofen). The structures of the materials were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering and powder X-ray diffraction which indicated of the presence of well-ordered mesoporous structures with pore sizes ranging from 3.7-8.0 nm. The compositions and the functional groups in the materials were characterized by TGA and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Catalytic tests of the materials were conducted with GC-MS while the drug (dye) delivery studies were done with UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. By changing the functional groups and their compositions, our work proved that the properties and structures of the materials can be tuned and the potential applications of the materials can further be optimized.
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