Mesoporous materials are being widely used in the chemical industry in various environmentally friendly separation processes and as catalysts. Our research can be broadly described as an effort to understand the behavior of fluids confined in such materials. More specifically we try to understand the influence of state variables like temperature and pore variables like size, shape, connectivity and structural heterogeneity on both the dynamic and equilibrium behavior of confined fluids. The dynamic processes associated with the approach to equilibrium are largely unexplored. It is important to look into the dynamic behavior for two reasons. First, confined fluids experience enhanced metastabilities and large equilibration times in certain classes of mesoporous materials, and the approach to the metastable/stable equilibrium is of tremendous interest. Secondly, understanding the transport resistances in a microscopic scale will help better engineer heterogeneous catalysts and separation processes. Here we present some of our preliminary studies on dynamics of fluids in ideal pore geometries. The tool that we have used extensively to investigate the relaxation dynamics of fluids in pores is the dynamic mean field theory (DMFT) as developed by Monson[P. A. Monson, J. Chem. Phys., 128, 084701 (2008) ]. The theory is based on a lattice gas model of the system and can be viewed as a highly computationally efficient approximation to the dynamics averaged over an ensemble of Kawasaki dynamics Monte Carlo trajectories of the system. It provides a theory of the dynamics of the system consistent with the thermodynamics in mean field theory. The nucleation mechanisms associated with confined fluid phase transitions are emergent features in the calculations. We begin by describing the details of the theory and then present several applications of DMFT. First we present applications to three model pore networks (a) a network of slit pores with a single pore width; (b) a network of slit pores with two pore widths arranged in intersecting channels with a single pore width in each channel; (c) a network of slit pores with two pore widths forming an array of ink-bottles. The results illustrate the effects of pore connectivity upon the dynamics of vapor liquid phase transformations as well as on the mass transfer resistances to equilibration. We then present an application to a case where the solid-fluid interactions lead to partial wetting on a planar surface. The pore filling process in such systems features an asymmetric density distribution where a liquid droplet appears on one of the walls. We also present studies on systems where there is partial drying or drying associated with weakly attractive or repulsive interactions between the fluid and the pore walls. We describe the symmetries exhibited by the lattice model between pore filling for wetting states and pore emptying for drying states, for both the thermodynamics and dynamics. We then present an extension of DMFT to mixtures and present some examples that illustrate the utility of the approach. Finally we present an assessment the accuracy of the DMFT through comparisons with a higher order approximation based on the path probability method as well as Kawasaki dynamics.

Porous metal oxide materials, particularly those comprised of silica or titania, find use in many applications such as low-k dielectric materials for microelectronics as well as chemical sensors, micro/nanofluidic devices, and catalyst substrates. For this dissertation, the focus will be on the processing of porous metal oxide materials covering two subjects: hierarchical porosity exhibited over two discrete length scales and incorporation of functional nanomaterials. To generate the porous silica materials, the technique of supercritical carbon dioxide infusion (scCO2) processing was heavily relied upon. Briefly, the scCO2 infusion processing utilizes phase selective chemistries within a pre-organized amphiphilic block copolymer template using scCO2 as the reaction medium to selectively hydrolyze and condense silica precursors to yield mesoporous materials. To further develop the scCO2 infusion processing technique, hierarchically porous silica materials were generated on unique substrates. Hierarchically structured silica nanochannels were created using a combination of scCO2 infusion processing and nanoimprint lithography (NIL) patterned sacrificial polymer templates to yield mesopores and airgap structures respectively. Hierarchically porous silica materials were also generated on alternative substrates, in the form of cellulose filter paper, which were used to host the amphiphilic block copolymer template to yield tri-modal porosity silica materials. To extend the applicability of mesoporous silica generated from scCO2 infusion processing, functional nanomaterials, in the form of pre-synthesized gold nanoparticles, fullerene derivatives, and polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxanes (POSS) were embedded within the mesoporous silica to produce unique composite materials. The functional nanomaterials were able to impart specific properties, typically only affored to the functional nanomaterials, upon the mesoporous silica thin film with an example being enhanced thermal and hydrothermal properties of mesoporous silica doped with POSS molecules. To continue research with functional nanomaterials, nanoparticle composite materials, comprised of crystalline metal oxide nanoparticles and binder/filler materials, either organic or inorganic, were also evaluated as novel NIL resist materials. Patterning of the nanoparticle composite materials, specifically, but not limited to, titanium dioxide based materials, into two dimensional, arbitrarily shaped, sub-micron features was readily achieved on either rigid or flexible substrates. True three-dimensional structures, based on nanoparticle composite materials, were fabricated by utilizing release layers and pre-patterned substrates.

Ordered mesoporous materials have attracted much attention recently for use in a wide range of applications. The oxidising materials, ceria (CeO₂) and CGO (Ce₀.₉Gd₀.₁O[subscript(2-δ)]) have both been synthesised with ordered mesopores, but a method for the simple fabrication of these materials in high yields with crystalline pore walls has not yet been reported in the literature. This thesis details the development of the vacuum impregnation method for the synthesis of ordered mesoporous materials with emphasis on ceria and CGO. Using the vacuum impregnation method both materials were successfully prepared. The materials exhibited the porous single crystal morphology in high yields, with unusual crystallographic features. Nitrogen physisorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM tomography and temperature programmed studies were employed. Temperature programmed studies showed the materials to be catalytically active at lower temperatures than traditionally-prepared ceria. Photovoltaic studies showed that the materials exhibited efficient exciton quenching. The observation of nanowire extrusion during the synthetic procedure assisted in the postulation of a mechanism for product formation in the vacuum impregnation method. The vacuum impregnation method was subsequently shown to be applicable to the synthesis of other materials, with encouraging results presented for ordered mesoporous carbon and Zr₀.₈₄Y₀.₁₆O[subscript(2-δ)]. The syntheses of ordered mesoporous La₀.₈₅Sr₀.₁₅GaO[subscript(3-δ)] and La₀.₇₆Sr₀.₁₉CoO[subscript(3-δ)] were unsuccessful.

La synthèse en une étape de nouveaux matériaux contenant des nanoparticules (NPs) de métal a été réalisée par croissance contrôlée de silices mésoporeuses autour de solutions colloïdales de diverses nanoparticules métalliques (Ru, Pt, Pd, Au). Cette méthodologie a conduit à l’obtention de catalyseurs hétérogènes bien définis (structuration hexagonale 2D du réseau poreux) contenant des NPs régulièrement et sélectivement réparties : au sein des canaux poreux, dans les murs de la charpente silicique ou les deux. Afin d’atteindre ce but, une méthode générale de synthèse en trois étapes a été développée incluant : i) la préparation de la solution colloïdale de nanoparticules hydrophobes ou hydrophiles. ii) la synthèse d’un matériau mésostructuré, autour des NPs, par procédé sol-gel en présence d’un tensioactif structurant, selon un protocole expérimental adapté à la localisation désirée des NPs. iii) décomposition du tensioactif afin de libérer la porosité et la surface des NPs. Les NPs préparées ainsi que les matériaux contenants les NPs ont entièrement été caractérisés par différentes techniques complémentaires (adsorption et désorption d'azote, MET, DRX, WAXS, analyse élémentaire…). Les performances catalytiques, en hydrogénation du propène, déshydrogénation de l’isobutane ou en oxydation de CO, des matériaux ont par ailleurs été comparées à celles d’un catalyseur de référence pour évaluer la stabilité des nanoparticules et les performances catalytiques des nouveaux matériaux ainsi préparés / New materials containing nanoparticles were prepared by the control growth of a mesostructured silica matrix around differents metal colloids (Ru, Pt, Pd, Au). This original methodology led to the selective and regular localisation of small metal nanoparticles in the pores, in the walls, or both in the pores and in the walls of mesostructured silica matrixes. These materials were obtained by: i) the preparation hydrophilic/hydrophobic metal colloids. ii) the growth of silica around these colloids via a solgel process, and using a template. iii) the removal of the surfactant to release the porosity and the NPs surface. The colloidal solutions and the materials were characterised with several techniques such as N2 adsorption/desorption, T.E.M, XRD, WAXS, elemental analysis... Besides, their catalytic performances were tested in propene hydrogenation, isobutane dehydrogenation or CO oxidation and were compared to those of a reference catalyst

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Population growth, industrial and agricultural activities produce daily considerable amounts of wastewaters containing numerous organic pollutants (organic dyes, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene), which are thrown directly into the environment, causing health effects to humans as well as aquatic beings. Dyes are widely used in several industrial segments including cosmetics, leather, printing, paper, food and textile, being considered hazardous pollutants due to high chemical stability in aqueous medium, possessing also no biodegradable nature making their removal difficult. Among the number of methods employed for the treatment of aqueous effluents, adsorption has been considered one of the most promising ones owing to the high efficacy, convenience and feasibility. Activated carbon is certainly the most used adsorbent owing to physical properties (high surface area and porosity) as well as surface chemistry. However, activated carbons are usually inefficient to remove high molecular weight molecules such as dyes, owing to the microporous structure. Thus, a novel type of micro-mesoporous carbon has been synthesized in the work employing a mechanosynthesized silica template (HZSM-5/SBA-15) in variable mass proportions, as well as palm oil cooking waste as carbon source. Materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms using BET model, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and zeta potential determination. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the efficiency of the mechanosynthesis to all mass proportions used, while the textural properties were strongly influenced by the presence of SBA-15. X-ray diffraction patterns for ordered mesoporous carbons (OMC’s) confirmed the mantainance of the crystalline order typical of the templates. The resulting mesoporous carbon has been evaluated as adsorbent to different dye molecules, including molecules with distinct sizes and electrical charges. Results revealed that the carbon adsorbent exhibited high affinity for cationic dyes owing to the presence of negatively charged functional groups onto the surface and also that the mesoporous structure favors high diffusion rates leading to a higher adsorption efficiency compared to the other adsorbents studied (activated carbon, SBA-15, SBA-15/HZSM-5-50, OMC-NC). / O crescimento populacional, as atividades industriais e agrícolas produzem diariamente quantidades consideráveis de águas residuais que contém inúmeros poluentes orgânicos (corantes orgânicos, benzeno, tolueno, etilbenzeno e xilenos) que são lançados diretamente no meio ambiente, causando efeitos à saúde dos seres humanos e aquáticos. Os corantes são amplamente utilizados em diversos segmentos industriais, como cosméticos, couro, impressão, papel, alimentos e têxtil e são considerados poluentes perigosos, pois apresentam estabilidade química em meio aquoso e possuem natureza não biodegradável o que dificulta sua remoção. Dentre os diversos métodos de tratamento empregados, a adsorção tem sido considerada uma das tecnologias mais promissoras devido à sua alta eficiência, conveniência e viabilidade. O carvão ativado é certamente o adsorvente mais utilizado devido às suas propriedades físicas (elevada área superficial e porosidade) e químicas de superfície, entretanto, devido a sua estrutura microporosa é ineficiente na remoção de moléculas de elevado peso molecular, tais como os corantes. Dessa forma, neste trabalho foi sintetizado um novo tipo de carbono micro-mesoporoso (OMC) via Nanocasting, a partir de um molde de sílica (HZSM-5/SBA-15), em diferentes proporções mássicas, preparado por cominuição e do resíduo da fritura do óleo de dendê como fonte de carbono. Os materiais foram caracterizados através das análises de difração de raios X (DRX), adsorção-dessorção de nitrogênio a 77 K, espectroscopia na região do infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FT-IR), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão de alta resolução (MET-AR) e potencial zeta. As imagens de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) mostraram a eficiência da cominuição para todas as proporções mássicas, enquanto que as propriedades texturais foram fortemente influenciadas pela presença de SBA-15. Os difratogramas de raios X dos carbonos mesoporosos ordenados (OMC’s) confirmaram a manutenção da ordenação cristalina característica dos moldes. O material de carbono resultante foi estudado como adsorvente para diferentes moléculas de corantes, incluindo moléculas com cargas e tamanhos diferentes. Os resultados mostraram que o carbono apresentou alta afinidade para os corantes catiônicos devido a presença de grupos funcionais com cargas negativas em sua superfície, que a estrutura mesoporosa favorece as altas taxas de difusão e uma maior eficiência de adsorção comparado aos demais adsorventes (carvão ativado, SBA-15, SBA-15/HZSM-5-50, OMC-NC). / São Cristóvão, SE

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:41:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LidianeAM_DISSERT.pdf: 1970613 bytes, checksum: 036cbfe77378ec3746e57700b6ed691b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-01-30 / Volatile Organic Compounds are pollutants coming mainly from activities that use fossil fuels. Within this class are the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) compounds that are considered hazardous. Among the various existing techniques for degradation of pollutants, there is advanced oxidation using H2O2 generating hidoxil radical ( OH). In this work, the mesoporous material of MCM-41 was synthesized by hydrothermal method and then was used as support, the impregnation of titanium by the method of synthesis with excess solvent to obtain the catalyst Ti-MCM-41. The catalyst was used in the reaction catalyzed removal of BTEX in water using H2O2 as oxidant. The materials were characterized by: XRD, TG/DTG, FTIR, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and FRX-EDX, in order to verify the method of impregnation of the mesoporous titanium support was effective. Catalytic tests were carried out in reactors of 20 mL containing BTEX (100.0 μg/L), H2O2 (2.0 M) and Ti-MCM-41 (2.0 g/L) in acid medium. The reaction occurred for 5 h at 60 ?C and analysis were performed by gas chromatography with photoionization detector and static headspace sampler. The characterizations have proven the effectiveness of the synthesis method used and the incorporation of titanium lt in the support. The catalytic tests showed satisfactory results with conversion of more than 95 % for the studied compounds, where the catalyst 48% Ti-MCM-41 showed a higher removal efficiency of the compounds under study / Os Compostos Org?nicos Vol?teis s?o poluentes oriundos, principalmente, de atividades que utilizam combust?veis fosseis. Dentro desta classe encontram-se os BTEX (benzeno, tolueno, etilbenzeno e xilenos) que s?o compostos considerados perigosos. Dentre as varias t?cnicas existentes para degrada??o de poluentes, destaca-se a oxida??o avan?ada utilizando H2O2 para gera??o do radical hidoxil ( OH). Neste trabalho, o material mesoporoso do tipo MCM-41 foi sintetizado atrav?s do m?todo hidrot?rmica e em seguida foi utilizado como suporte, na impregna??o de tit?nio pelo m?todo p?s-s?ntese com excesso de solvente para a obten??o do catalisador Ti-MCM-41. O catalisador foi utilizado na cat?lise da rea??o de remo??o dos BTEX em meio aquoso utilizando H2O2 como oxidante. Os materiais obtidos foram caracterizados por: DRX, TG/DTG, FTIR, adsor??o/dessor??o de N2, FRX-EDX, com o objetivo de verificar se o m?todo de impregna??o do tit?nio no suporte mesoporoso foi eficiente. Os testes catal?ticos foram realizados em reatores de 20 mL contendo solu??o aquosa de BTEX (100,0 μg/L), H2O2 (0,1 M) e Ti-MCM-41 (2,0 g/L) em meio acido. A rea??o ocorreu por 5 h a 60 ?C e as analises foram feitas por cromatografia a g?s com detector de fotoionizacao e amostrador por headspace est?tico. As caracteriza??es comprovaram a efic?cia do m?todo de s?ntese utilizado, assim como a incorpora??o do tit?nio no suporte. Os testes catal?ticos apresentaram resultados satisfat?rios na remo??o de mais de 95 % para os compostos estudados, onde o catalisador 48% Ti-MCM-41 apresentou uma maior efici?ncia na remo??o dos compostos em estudo

Silica gels containing incorporated heteropolyacids (HPAs) were synthesized in acidic media by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with phosphotungstic or phosphomolybdic acids using sol-gel technique. Effect of the synthesis conditions on their structure and morphology was studied. Yields of modified materials were some lower as compared to non-modified silica gels. All materials were mesoporous but contained micropores in their structures. Presence of bands of Keggin’s structures in FT-IR spectra along with absence of XRD patterns of crystalline HPAs confirmed their fine incorporation into silica network. Particle sizes of modified materials were 800-1100 nm excepting for W-containing sample obtained with trimethylstearylammonium chloride. This unusual effect was attributed to stabilization of primary silica nanoparticles by interaction between surfactant and HPA. High ratio HPA/TEOS resulted in partial loss of porosity. Obtained results might be used for optimization of synthesis of effective catalysts and adsorbents containing HPAs in mesoporous structure.

In this work mesoporous organisilica materials are synthesized through the silica sol-gel process. For this a new class of precursors which are also surfactant are synthesized and self-assembled. This leads to a high surface area functionality which is analysized with copper (II) and water adsorption. / Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit werden mesoporöse Amin-funktionalisierte Organo-Silikate durch den Silika Sol-Gel Prozess hergestellt. Dabei werden neue Alkoxysilyl-Precursoren synthetisiert und condensiert die die gewünschte Funktion auf die Oberfläche dirigieren. Herstellt werden primäre, secundäre und chirale Amine. Die Oberflächenfunktionalität wird mit Kupfer (II) und Wasser Adsorption analysiert.

Gas-oil obtained from bitumen contains a significant amount of impurities, which are difficult to remove using a conventional alumina supported hydrotreating catalyst. Innumerable studies have been carried out to develop a highly effective hydrotreating catalyst, and among all utilizing more advanced support is considered as a better alternative. Recently, SBA-15, which is an ordered mesoporous silica support, has received importance as a catalyst support because of its excellent textural properties. However, SBA-15 lacks surface acidity and provides very low metal-support interaction. By modifying SBA-15 with zirconia, an optimum level of surface acidity and Si-Mo interaction can be achieved. Also, by doping zirconia with SBA-15, the textural properties of zirconia can be improved. Hence, a synergistic effect can be obtained while incorporating zirconia onto SBA-15 and the resulting material Zr-SBA-15 can be used as an effective support for hydrotreating catalyst. In the present study, Zr-SBA-15 supports were prepared by the post synthesis and the direct synthesis method with different zirconia loading. Zr-SBA-15 supported NiMo catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation technique. Catalysts and supports were characterized by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), nitrogen adsorption/desorption (BET), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy methods.<p> Characterization of support confirmed that the zirconia was successfully incorporated in a mesoporous SBA-15 structure without significantly changing the textural properties of SBA-15. The performance of the Zr-SBA-15 supported NiMo catalysts was evaluated based on hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation activities exhibited during hydrotreating of heavy gas oil derived from Athabasca bitumen at industrial operating condition (temperature 375-395 °C, pressure 8.9 MPa, LHSV 1.0 hr-1 and gas/oil ratio 600 Nm3/m3). The comparison of catalytic activities showed that the NiMo catalysts supported on Zr-SBA-15, prepared by direct and post synthesis method exhibited higher hydrotreating activity compared to SBA-15 supported catalyst. NiMo catalyst supported on Zr-SBA-15 with 23 wt% of ZrO2 loading, prepared by post synthesis method showed the highest activity among all the catalysts.<p> After determining the best support, the optimum catalyst metal loadings on the Zr-SBA-15 support was found to be 17 wt% of Mo and 3.4 wt% of Ni. This catalyst also showed higher activity in mass basis for the hydrotreating of heavy gas oil compared to that of commercial hydrotreating catalyst.<p> A kinetic study was performed on the optimum NiMo/Zr-SBA-15 catalyst to predict its HDS and HDN activities while varying the parameters of temperature, liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV), pressure and gas-to-oil ratio. Rate expressions were developed using Power Law and Langmuir-Hinshelwood model to predict the behavior of both the HDS and HDN reactions. Power law models were best fit with reaction orders of 1.8 and 1.3, and activation energies of 115 kJ/mol and 121 kJ/mol, for HDS and HDN reactions, respectively. The activation energies calculated using Langmuir-Hinshelwood model considering H2S inhibition were found to be 122 kJ/mol and 138 kJ/mol, for HDS and HDN reactions, respectively.

Gas-oil obtained from bitumen contains a significant amount of impurities, which are difficult to remove using a conventional alumina supported hydrotreating catalyst. Innumerable studies have been carried out to develop a highly effective hydrotreating catalyst, and among all utilizing more advanced support is considered as a better alternative. Recently, SBA-15, which is an ordered mesoporous silica support, has received importance as a catalyst support because of its excellent textural properties. However, SBA-15 lacks surface acidity and provides very low metal-support interaction. By modifying SBA-15 with zirconia, an optimum level of surface acidity and Si-Mo interaction can be achieved. Also, by doping zirconia with SBA-15, the textural properties of zirconia can be improved. Hence, a synergistic effect can be obtained while incorporating zirconia onto SBA-15 and the resulting material Zr-SBA-15 can be used as an effective support for hydrotreating catalyst. In the present study, Zr-SBA-15 supports were prepared by the post synthesis and the direct synthesis method with different zirconia loading. Zr-SBA-15 supported NiMo catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation technique. Catalysts and supports were characterized by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), nitrogen adsorption/desorption (BET), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy methods.<p> Characterization of support confirmed that the zirconia was successfully incorporated in a mesoporous SBA-15 structure without significantly changing the textural properties of SBA-15. The performance of the Zr-SBA-15 supported NiMo catalysts was evaluated based on hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation activities exhibited during hydrotreating of heavy gas oil derived from Athabasca bitumen at industrial operating condition (temperature 375-395 °C, pressure 8.9 MPa, LHSV 1.0 hr-1 and gas/oil ratio 600 Nm3/m3). The comparison of catalytic activities showed that the NiMo catalysts supported on Zr-SBA-15, prepared by direct and post synthesis method exhibited higher hydrotreating activity compared to SBA-15 supported catalyst. NiMo catalyst supported on Zr-SBA-15 with 23 wt% of ZrO2 loading, prepared by post synthesis method showed the highest activity among all the catalysts.<p> After determining the best support, the optimum catalyst metal loadings on the Zr-SBA-15 support was found to be 17 wt% of Mo and 3.4 wt% of Ni. This catalyst also showed higher activity in mass basis for the hydrotreating of heavy gas oil compared to that of commercial hydrotreating catalyst.<p> A kinetic study was performed on the optimum NiMo/Zr-SBA-15 catalyst to predict its HDS and HDN activities while varying the parameters of temperature, liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV), pressure and gas-to-oil ratio. Rate expressions were developed using Power Law and Langmuir-Hinshelwood model to predict the behavior of both the HDS and HDN reactions. Power law models were best fit with reaction orders of 1.8 and 1.3, and activation energies of 115 kJ/mol and 121 kJ/mol, for HDS and HDN reactions, respectively. The activation energies calculated using Langmuir-Hinshelwood model considering H2S inhibition were found to be 122 kJ/mol and 138 kJ/mol, for HDS and HDN reactions, respectively.