Controllable synthesis of functionalized ordered mesoporous silica by metal-based ionic liquids, and their effective adsorption of dibenzothiophene

Abstract

The synthesis of mesoporous materials with metal species highly dispersed in the mesoporous channels, and which still retain a high surface area and pore volume, is a considerable challenge. In the present study, however, the synthesis of mesoporous silica, assisted by metal-based ionic liquids, has achieved this goal. The metal-containing mesoporous silica materials were synthesized using a variety of metal-based ionic liquids as templates and metal sources, including [C₁₆mim]Cl/CuCl₂, 2[C₁₆mim]Cl/CuCl₂, 3[C₁₆mim]Cl/FeCl₃, [C₁₆mim]Cl/MnCl₂, and [C₁₆mim]Cl/NiCl₂. The mesoporous materials obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, and the results confirmed that they possessed a well-ordered hexagonal structure, a high surface area (∼1400 m² g⁻¹), a large pore volume (∼0.8 cm³ g⁻¹), and an accessible mesoporous structure. The metal species were highly dispersed throughout the mesoporous framework. The results indicate that these ionic liquid-functionalized metal-containing mesoporous silica materials are suitable adsorbents for the removal of dibenzothiophene from fuels.