Combined nitrogen, hexane, and benzene adsorption characterization of pores and surfaces of lyophobic mesoporous silicas.

For lyophobic porous surfaces, structural analysis by vapor adsorption is complicated due to weak adsorbate-adsorbent interactions and limited wetting of the pores (nonzero contact angles). To investigate further, adsorption isotherms of three distinct adsorbates (nitrogen - 77 K, n-hexane and benzene - 298 K) were studied for SBA-15 ordered mesoporous silica where the surface was functionalized with lyophobic perfluoroalkyl groups (C6F13 termini). The results demonstrated a clear advantage of the combined use of the adsorption isotherms of less surface sensitive (nitrogen) and more surface sensitive (hydrocarbons) adsorbates.

Gas chromatography study of silica modified with polyfluoroalkyl groups.

Silicas with attached polyfluoroalkyl groups were studied by gas chromatography (GC) at zero surface coverage. Organic molecules (n-alkanes, ethers, esters, ketones, etc.) were used as test compounds.

Peculiarities of adsorption of organic compounds and water on silicas with bonded polyfluoroalkyl groups.

The adsorption isotherms of benzene revealed the low adsorption potential of polyfluoroalkyl silicas compared with both initial silica and hexadecyl silica. Hydrophobicity of all modified silicas, measured by water adsorption, was rather close at p/p(s)=1 and was significantly different in the initial p/p(s) region: polyfluoroalkyl silicas did not nearly adsorb water but alkyl silica did it gradually. Thermodynamic parameters of adsorption of organic compounds of different nature were studied at a zero surface coverage by gas chromatography (GC).