Surfactant-templated synthesis of nanostructured xerogel adsorbent platforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052374-B2
Application number	US-201816228593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A process for separations and recovery from mixtures via specific adsorption using high-surface area, flexible silica-based nanostructured gel adsorbents and articles of manufacture relating to same.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of making an xerogel material comprising:
mixing organosilane precursors, a catalyst, and a zwitterionic porogen to form a reaction mixture in a solvent;
reacting the organosilane precursors forming a silica-based material patterned on the zwitterionic porogen;
removing the zwitterionic porogen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the organosilane precursor has the formula:
R y —Si—(OR) x , where R is an alkyl and where x=1−3 and y+x=4.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organosilane precursors comprise a trialkoxysilane.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trialkoxysilane is selected from the group consisting of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), octyltrimethoxysilane (OTMS) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is acidic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is basic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting the organosilane precursors is carried out over a period of time between 15 minutes and 7 days at a temperature up to the boiling point of the sovent.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the temperature is at least 80° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the xerogel with a tethering molecule.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a chemical scavenger is tethered to the xerogel.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the zwitterionic porogen by rinsing with a gradient solvent system.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a second zwitterionic porogen mixed to form the reaction mixture in the solvent.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing a second organosilane precursor with the organosilane precursor, catalyst, and the zwitterionic porogen.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first organosilane precursor is a trialkoxysilane and the second organosilane precursor is a dialkoxysilane.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• De Leon Patricia Ignacio
• Laible Philip D
• Meyer Mackenzie Elizabeth
• Povinelli Christopher R
• Tracey Killian L
• Arenas Daniel Yoav

Classifications

• C09K3/32

  for absorbing liquids to remove pollution, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat · CPC title

• B01J20/3204

  Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates · CPC title

• B01J20/103 Primary

  comprising silica · CPC title

• B01J20/3265

  with an organic functional group containing a metal, e.g. a metal affinity ligand · CPC title

• B01J20/3085

  Chemical treatments not covered by groups B01J20/3007 - B01J20/3078 · CPC title