A range of mesoporous materials based on SBA-15 have been prepared and characterised. The materials were templated by neutral block copolymer P123, and typically have a hexagonal (p6mm) pore structure, with high surface areas and narrow pore size distributions. The removal of the surfactant template by calcination and solvent extraction has been investigated. The aqueous stability of this material, and the hydrolysis of the surface was studied. Organic functional groups were incorporated into the silica surface by co-condensation, or by post synthesis grafting. A range of functional groups were incorporated, including amine, carboxy, allyl and thiol groups. The pore size of the materials was controlled by the addition of trimethoxybenzene during synthesis, which significantly increased the pore size and uptake capacity of the materials. The adsorption of CALB by SBA-15 was investigated, with support materials extracted by calcination or solvent extraction. Rapid uptake at high loading was observed, with a maximum loading of 450 mg g-1 measured. The leaching of the enzyme from the support was investigated, and found to be high with unfunctionalised supports. The leaching from functionalised supports incorporating sulfur groups was significantly reduced. The activity of the immobilised CALB was measured by tributyrin hydrolysis in aqueous media, and by enantioselective transesterification of (R)-1-phenylethanol in organic media. The effect of surface functionalisation for reusability and thermal stability in aqueous systems was investigated. Preliminary studies of supported CALB for dynamic kinetic resolution were carried out, with an investigation of acidic zeolites and a mesoporous supported catalyst for 1-phenylethanol racemisation. The encapsulation of immobilised CALB was investigated, and the activity and reusability of these systems studied.

Mesoporous monocrystalline metal oxides (e.g. Co₃O₄, Cr₂O₃, NiO, CeO₂, In₂O₃ and WO₃) templated by SBA-15 or KIT-6 were synthesised successfully by using a simple solvent-free approach, the so-called solid-liquid method, which was the principal development of methodology in this project. A metal-containing precursor, whose melting point is lower than its decomposition temperature, was directly ground with a mesoporous silica and impregnated into the pores of the silica template after melting when the temperature was increased above its melting point. The liquid precursor then decomposed to form metal oxide inside the silica pores when the temperature was further increased to its decomposition temperature and crystallization temperature of the oxide. The structural characterisations of these porous metal oxides were performed by using TEM, XRD and N₂ adsorption/desorption techniques. The solid-liquid method is convenient and solvent-free. On the other hand, its limitation is that the precursor must have a melting point lower than its decomposition temperature. A novel porous single crystal of rutile TiO₂ as well as anatase nanocrystal-silica composite was also synthesised successfully for the first time using SBA-15 and KIT-6 as templates. These materials have interesting properties of proton conductivity, Li insertion and photoactivity. Likewise, the characterisation of porous TiO₂ was achieved by using XRD, TEM, SAED and N₂ adsorption/desorption. The residual SiO₂ component in porous TiO₂ was detected by using the EDX technique. Porous cubic metal oxides of Co₃O₄, NiO, CeO₂ and In₂O₃ were prepared using novel mesoporous silicas FDU-12 and SBA-16, which contain spherical nanocavities linked together by smaller windows. These porous materials have larger surface areas than those templated by SBA-15 and KIT-6. Unlike the cubic metal oxides, syntheses of porous crystals of non-cubic metal oxides such as rhombohedral Cr₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and hexagonal TiO₂, WO₃ were not successful when using cage-containing mesoporous silicas as templates. The three-dimensional arrangements of nanospheres in porous crystals of cubic oxides mentioned above were observed by TEM and the corresponding larger surface areas were confirmed by N₂ adsorption/desorption technique. Additionally, fabrication of porous crystals of other metal oxides such as MgO, ZnO and ZrO₂ were unsuccessful by using either mesoporous silicas or mesoporous carbons as templates. Possible drawbacks of using mesoporous silica and carbon as templates were discussed.

Zhao, Lei = 介孔材料的光學應用和表面等離子體-熒光分子之間相互作用 / 趙磊. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Zhao, Lei = Jie kong cai liao de guang xue ying yong he biao mian deng li zi ti - ying guang fen zi zhi jian xiang hu zuo yong / Zhao Lei.

Xiao, Manda = 金納米晶修飾的空心介孔二氧化矽微球在表面等離子體激元調製下的光散射行為 / 肖蔓達. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Xiao, Manda = Jin na mi jing xiu shi de kong xin jie kong er yang hua xi wei qiu zai biao mian deng li zi ti ji yuan diao zhi xia de guang san she xing wei / Xiao Manda. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Figures --- p.viii / List of Tables --- p.x / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Plasmonic Properties of Noble Metal Nanocrystals --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Light Scattering from Dielectric Spheres --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Motivations and Outline of the Thesis --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- Characterization Techniques --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1 --- Instrumentation --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2 --- Extinction Measurement of Au Nanocrystals and the HMSMSs Decorated with the Au Nanocrystals --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- Sample Preparation for the TEM and SEM Characterization --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4 --- Dark-Field Imaging and Spectroscopy of the Individual Microspheres --- p.19 / Chapter 3 --- Fabrication of Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres Decorated with the Au Nanocrystals --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1 --- Preparation of the Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2 --- Growth of the Au Nanocrystals --- p.29 / Chapter 3.3 --- Assembly of the Au Nanocrystals onto the Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres --- p.32 / Chapter 4 --- Resonant Scattering Properties of the Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres --- p.38 / Chapter 4.1 --- Experimental Results --- p.38 / Chapter 4.2 --- Calculation of the Scattering Spectra by Mie Theory --- p.42 / Chapter 4.3 --- Summary --- p.46 / Chapter 5 --- Resonant Scattering Properties of the Au Nanocrystal-Decorated Hollow Mesoporous Silica Microspheres --- p.49 / Chapter 5.1 --- Effect of the Plasmon Resonances of the Au Nanocrystals on the Resonant Scattering Behaviors of the HMSMSs --- p.49 / Chapter 5.2 --- Estimation of the Scattering Enhancement Factors --- p.54 / Chapter 5.3 --- Summary --- p.59 / Chapter 6 --- Summary --- p.61

Le design de complexes luminescents hétérobimétalliques a suscité un intérêt croissant ces dernières années en raison de leurs propriétés photophysiques uniques. Dans ces complexes de Nd (III) ou Yb (III) associés à des chromophores du bloc d, la forte émission du métal de transition dans le visible est utilisée pour sensibiliser de façon efficace les niveaux f-f du lanthanide(III) qui émet à son tour dans le visible ou l'IR selon la terre rare. Plus spécifiquement l'attention s'est focalisée sur le développement de complexes hétérobimétalliques d-f pour l'émission dans le proche infrarouge (NIR). En effet le proche infrarouge, comparé à l'UV, pénètre plus facilement les tissus biologiques humains notamment la peau. Bien que de telles propriétés confèrent à ces complexes bimétalliques un fort potentiel pour le diagnostic médical, aucun complexe hétérobimétallique d-f greffé de façon covalente à une matrice de silice n'a été décrit. Dans ce travail de nouveaux complexes hétérobimétalliques d-f contenant des ligands silylés ont été préparés et greffés sur la silice. Les complexes monomères [Ru(bpy)2(bpmd)]Cl2 (noté Ru), [Ru(bpy)(bpy-Si)(bpmd)]Cl2 (noté RuL) et [Ln(TTA-Si)3] (noté LnL3) et les complexes hétérobimétalliques d-f Ru-LnL3 et Ln-RuL (Ln = Nd3+, Yb3+) ont été préparés. La caractérisation des complexes a été effectuée par spectroscopie Raman, RMN 1H et 13C RMN. Les spectres RMN 1D 1H et 13C NMR ainsi que 2D de corrélation HSQC confirment les structures proposées. L'étude des propriétés photophysiques met en évidence l'émission de l'élément lanthanide dans le proche infrarouge ainsi que l'efficacité du processus de transfert d'énergie Ru-Ln qui est facilité par le ligand (2,2'-bipyrimidine). Les mesures de durée de vie et de rendement quantique (ΦET) pour le transfert d'énergie indiquent des valeurs remarquables comprises entre 30 et 84 %. La valeur du rendement quantique (ΦET) du complexe d'Yb-RuL, 73,4 %, est à ce jour la plus grande valeur rapportée pour un complexe hétérobimétallique Ru (II)-Yb (III). Le greffage sur différentes matrices de silice, mésoporeuse SiO2 ou dense SiO2 d, a été réalisé. Les nanohybrides SiO2-RuL, SiO2-NdL3 et SiO2-YbL3 ont été obtenus avec des taux de greffage allant de 0,08 à 0,18 mmol de complexe par gramme de silice. [...] / The design of heterobimetallic luminescent complexes has gained growing interest in recent years due to their unique photophysical properties. More specifically, the development of heterobimetallic complexes using d-block chromophores to sensitize the near-infrared (NIR) emission of lanthanide complexes (such as Nd(III) and Yb(III)) has received significant attention taking into account their longer emission wavelengths and the interest of the NIR emission which penetrates human tissue more effectively than UV light. These properties give them potential applications in medical diagnostics or biomedical assays. Transitions to excited state levels of transition metal complexes occurring in the visible and characterized by large absorption coefficients, could efficiently sensitize f-f levels of Ln(III) ions. In this work new d-f heterobimetallic complexes containing silylated ligands were prepared supported on silica materials. [Ru(bpy)2(bpmd)]Cl2 (labeled Ru), [Ru(bpy)(bpy-Si)(bpmd)]Cl2 (labeled RuL) and [Ln(TTA-Si)3] (labeled LnL3) and d-f heterobimetallic complexes, Ru-LnL3 and Ln-RuL (Ln = Nd3+, Yb3+) were prepared. Structural characterization was carried out by Raman Scattering, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. Results obtained from 1H-13C HMBC and HSQC correlation NMR spectra confirm the formation of proposed complexes. Photophysical properties studies highlight the efficiency of Ru-Ln energy transfer processes in NIR-emitting lanthanide complexes mediated by conjugated bridging ligand (2,2'-bipyrimidine). Lifetime measurements were carried out and values of quantum yield for energy transfer (?ET) between 30 and 84 % could be evaluated. ?ET of 73.4 % obtained for the Yb-RuL complex is the largest value reported for Ru(II)-Yb(III) heterobimetallic complexes so far. Grafting on different silica matrix was also demonstrated. SiO2-Ru, SiO2-NdL3 and SiO2-YbL3 nanohybrids were obtained with grafting efficiencies from 0.08 to 0.18 mmol g-1 of silica.[...]

Encapsulation of biomolecules is of great interest to research advances related to biology, physiology, immunology, and biochemistry, as well as industrial and biomedical applications such as drug delivery, biocatalysis, biofuel, food and cosmetics. Encapsulation provides functional characteristics that are not fulfilled by free biomolecules and stabilizes the fragile biomolecules. In terms of biocatalysis, solid support can often enhance the stability of enzymes, as well as facilitate separation and recovery for reuse while maintaining activity and selectivity. Various kinds of materials have been used for encapsulation of biomolecules, among which, porous materials are an important group. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted much attention and emerged as a new generation of highly porous functional materials with potential in a variety of fields such as gas separation and storage, catalysis, sensors and biomedical applications. Their structural versatility and amenability to be designed with specific functionality, together with their extra-large surface areas confer them a special place amongst traditional porous materials. In particular, because ligands can be designed with particular organic functional groups for specific interactions with biomolecules, they are attractive in the stabilization and retention of enzyme/proteins for biomedical or biocatalysis applications. With enlarged pore sizes, mesoporous (pore sizes in the range of 2 to 50 nm) MOFs are of great interest in the encapsulation of proteins. In this dissertation, I am focusing on the encapsulation of biomolecules into mesoporous MOFs (mesoMOFs) to estabilish the biomolecules@mesoMOF platform, including synthesis, characterization and mechanistic studies of a series of novel biomolecules@mesoMOF materials, and to develop the biomolecule@mesoMOFs platform for various applications.

Confining walls induce qualitative changes in adsorbed fluids. Among the most intriguing phenomena is hysteresis, where a pore fills with fluid at a greater pressure than it empties. The causes and mechanisms by which this occurs are intensely investigated yet still poorly understood. Ordered mesoporous silicas, recently discovered materials with well-defined pore size distributions, provide an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the fundamental physics of the interaction of fluids with complex solids.In part of this computational investigation we examine idealized pores. In agreement with other recent studies, we find that in 'inkbottle'-shaped pores, where a large cavity is accessible to the bulk fluid only by constrictions, there is no evidence of the long-hypothesized phenomenon of `pore blocking', where the constrictions inhibit fluid desorption from the cavity. We find that even in these simple systems the mechanism of hysteresis depends on pore characteristics, fluid properties and external conditions.For silicas containing cylindrical holes of nearly uniform diameter, such as MCM-41, the state-of-the-art is to consider only a single pore, but the poor qualitative agreement of theoretical with experimental results has improved little as wall representations of increasing sophistication have been developed. Using only a one-dimensional potential, we reproduce features of isotherms, including in the hysteresis region, by averaging over a narrow distribution of pore sizes. The qualitative behavior is shown to be a collective phenomenon not representative of any individual pore. Adding surface roughness and a constriction to the pores yields results quantitatively nearly indistinguishable from experiments.For materials larger than MCM-41, a continuum simulation proves too computationally taxing. Thus, a lattice model with adjustable fineness of site spacing is developed. It is found that a surprisingly low level of fineness is needed for confined systems to closely approximate continuum results. This model is applied to cubically symmetric materials, such as MCM-48 and SBA-16, finding that simulations are able to reproduce much of the qualitative behavior seen experimentally, but the lack of existing knowledge of the nature of silica walls proves to be a limiting factor.

Co and Pb are soft oxides, making them useful in partial oxidation catalysis. But it is difficult to prepare high surface area, nanometer size particles due to the low melting point of Pb. In the present study, SBA-15 samples are incorporated with Co and/or Pb at different weight loadings to provide a controlled geometry in nanometer scale via using direct synthesis method. The characterization of the synthesized samples was done by XRD, N2 adsorption isotherms, TEM images and XPS analysis. The increase in the metal loading in SBA-15 causes a decrease in the BET surface area due to the filling of pores with metal atoms. No characteristic peaks of metal oxide was observed up to 15 wt %Pb loading into SBA-15 in the large angle XRD pattern indicating that metal particles are dispersed in the SiO2 structure without accumulating and forming crystals. However, 20 wt%Pb loaded SBA-15 showed more appreciable characteristic peaks, indicating appreciable quantities of crystallites of metal oxide on the surface of silica. The introduction of high amount of cobalt and lead oxides to SBA-15 resulted in the loss of long range order of pores according to the low angle XRD patterns. The hexagonal structure of pores of SBA-15 was v confirmed by TEM images for all samples. XPS analysis indicated that binding energies of O 1s and Si 2p are almost similar in Co or Pb loaded samples, while mixed oxide loaded samples showed slightly higher binding energies which means the structure grows into a different type.

Mesoporous materials attracted great interest due to their huge surface area and adjustable pore sizes. One of the important mesoporous materials is SBA-15 and has larger pore size, hydrothermal stability and thicker walls than other mesoporous materials. In this study, SBA-15 is synthesized by using sol-gel technique and cobalt oxide nanoparticles are incorporated in mesochannels by direct method. SBA-15 was produced from the self-assembly of non-ionic triblock co-polymer (Pluronic 123) and tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS). Then cobalt chloride and cobalt nitrate were added at different loading ratios with two different addition sequences / after polymer and after TEOS. The loading ratios are in Si/Co mols and these ratios are / 15, 10, 5, 3, 1.5, 1 and 0.75 in increasing cobalt amount loaded. Characterization of the produced materials was performed by Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Infrared (FTIR) analysis. Nitrogen Phisisorption measurements (BET and BJH Methods) were used to examine the textural properties of produced materials. By means of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) the micro structures of materials were investigated. From the PXRD studies it is observed that the long range order of pores is preserved at even high loading amounts for cobalt chloride addition after TEOS. Co3O4 (JCPDS card no: 42-1467) crystallites are observed for Si/Co mol loading ratios 3, 1.5, 1 and 0.75. Above these loading ratios cobalt oxide is highly dispersed in SBA-15-type structure. FTIR studies revealed the formation of condensed silica network. From the Nitrogen Phisisorption measurements it is observed that addition of cobalt salt decreases the BET surface area of produced materials. All Nitrogen Adsorption-Desorption Isotherms are Type-IV, and has H-1 hysteresis which is a fulfillment of mesoporous structures according to IUPAC classification. BET surface area of samples loaded with cobalt chloride after TEOS possessed higher surface area than other samples. TEM images proved that at loading ratios above 3 there were not any cobalt oxide nanoparticles, cobalt oxide is highly dispersed on silica surface whereas at loading ratios 3 and below there were cobalt oxide nanoparticles embedded in the mesochannels for the samples prepared by addition of cobalt chloride after TEOS.

New approaches through grafting initiators onto the surface of inner-wall of mesoporous silica to synthesize polymer inside the nano-channels to obtain mesoporous silica/polymer nanocomposites were developed and investigated. Using the newly developed approach, PMMA was successfully synthesized through free radical polymerization and nylon 6 though in situ anionic ring-opening polymerization inside the nano-channels. The spherical mesoporous silica/PMMA composites we obtained showed a higher degradation temperature and narrower degradation range than pure commercially available PMMA. Spherical PMMA capsules were obtained after the silica network was dissolved with hydrofluoric acid, these pure PMMA spheres had the same thermal properties and morphology as they had with in the composites. The BMS/nylon 6 nanocomposites were spheres with the same diameter as pure BMS. About 50 wt% of the composites was newly synthesized nylon 6. The synthesized nylon 6 was proven to contain both α-form crystallite and γ-form crystallites with covalent bonds with the surface of silica inside the nano-channels.