Spectroscopic surface site speciation in mesoporous hybrid thin films: Probing teamwork between Si-OH, Ti-OH and –RNH2 groups

A. CALVO; L. ANDRINI; F.G. REQUEJO; F. WILLIAMS; G.J.A.A. SOLER-ILLIA

New Orleans

Congreso; 245th ACS National Meeting & Exposition; 2013

ACS

Aminopropyl-Silica-Titania mesoporous thin films were synthesized controlling structure at meso-scale and organic group distribution at atomic level. SAXS-2D and XPS experiments showed these hybrid materials present similar mesostructure Im3m although their (titania/silica) ratio varies. Oxides interdispersion and aminopropyl distribution were studied by XANES Si K-edge. XPS studies enabled us to understand the acid-base behavior of the aminopropyl group in different site configurations. From this analysis we demonstrated teamwork among the three kinds of surface sites in the protonation-deprotonation process. Knowledge of this interplay between organic function and sites on inorganic scaffolds will be a powerful tool in the optimization and design of organic-inorganic catalysts.