Size-tuning of hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) using a dual templating strategy

Abstract

Monodispersed hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) with a controlled core cavity and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) shell are successfully synthesized using a dual templating approach. The PMO shell synthesized by the sol–gel route exhibits a hybrid organic-inorganic framework based on phenylene bridges. The HPMO spherical nanoparticles with a diameter above 500 nm were characterized using a multiscale approach through TEM, BET, SAXS, and FT-IR. They are shown to offer an open periodic mesoporosity, a hollow cavity with a size tailored by the diameter of the core template, and finally, a high surface area (833 m² · g⁻¹). In addition, we demonstrate that, through the same approach, the size of these hollow spherical nanoparticles can be tuned. Indeed, sub-50-nm hollow nanoparticles with mesoporous shells have also been obtained. The differences observed in the textural properties of these two sizes of hollow mesoporous nano-objects are discussed.

Highlights

Dual templating strategy to synthesize HPMO nanospheres.

Successful size-tuning of HPMO nanoparticles using hard template route.

Uniform and monodisperse HPMO nanoparticles confirmed by TEM analysis.