Synthesis and characterization of microporous silica prepared with sodium silicate and organosilane compounds

Microporous silica gels were prepared in the pH range of 3-4 using sodium silicate as a silica source. Surface polarity of these gels was modified by grafting hydrophobic groups into the silica gel matrix with the help of hydrophilic solvents (acetone, acetonitrile, ethanol and methanol) and alkoxysilane compounds containing nonhydrolyzable alkyl groups. The porous framework and hydrophobicity of the silica gels were evaluated using nitrogen adsorption/desorption and water adsorption measurement techniques. All the measured isotherms were found to be type I which is indicative of microporosity. The surface area and microporosity of these samples were estimated by analyzing the measured nitrogen adsorption/desorption data using BET, Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) adsorption isotherms. The micropore size distribution was determined from their nitrogen adsorption isotherms using the slit-pore model of the Horvath-Kawazoe equation. Silica gels with high surface area (over 500 m²/g) as well as high microporosity (over 0.2 cc/g) were obtained at gelation pH of 3.50 from the water-solvent system.