Synthesis and characterization of hybrid organic/inorganic nanotubes of the imogolite type and their behaviour towards methane adsorption

Ilaria Bottero, Barbara Bonelli, Sharon E. Ashbrook, Paul A. Wright, Wuzong Zhou, Marco Tagliabue, Marco Armandi, Edoardo Garrone

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Imogolite-like nanotubes have been synthesised in which SiCH3 groups have been introduced in place of the SiOH groups that naturally occur at the inner surface of imogolite, an alumino-silicate with formula (OH)(3)Al2O3SiOH, forming nanotubes with inner and outer diameter of 1.0 and 2.0 nm, respectively. The new nanotubular material, composition (OH)(3)Al2O3SiCH3, has both larger pores and higher specific surface area than unmodified imogolite: it forms as hollow cylinders 3.0 nm wide and several microns long, with a specific surface area of ca. 800 m(2) g(-1) and intriguing surface properties, due to hydrophobic groups inside the nanotubes and hydrophilic Al(OH) Al groups at their outer surface. Adsorption of methane at 30 degrees C has been studied in the pressure range between 5 and 35 bar on both the new material and unmodified imogolite: it resulted that the new material adsorption capacity is about 2.5 times larger than that of imogolite, in agreement with both its larger pore volume and the presence of a methylated surface. On account of these properties and of its novelty, the studied material has several potential technical applications, e. g. in the fields of gas chromatography and gas separation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)744-750
Number of pages7
JournalPhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume13
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

Keywords

  • NUCLEAR MAGNETIC-RESONANCE
  • MIXED-OXIDE NANOTUBES
  • SURFACE
  • ALUMINOSILICATE
  • DIMENSIONS
  • ALLOPHANE
  • CATALYST
  • SILICON
  • STORAGE
  • MODELS

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