Tailored Jeffamine Molecular
Tools for Ordering Mesoporous
Silica
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Abstract
Herein, we report the formation of organized mesoporous
silica
materials prepared from a novel nonionic gemini surfactant, myristoyl-end-capped
Jeffamine, synthesized from a polyoxyalkyleneamine (ED900). The behavior
of the modified Jeffamine in water was first investigated. A direct
micellar phase (L<sub>1</sub>) and a hexagonal (H<sub>1</sub>) liquid
crystal were found. The structure of the micelles was investigated
from the SAXS and the analysis by generalized indirect Fourier transformation,
which show that the particles are globular of core–shell type.
The myristoyl chains, located at the ends of the amphiphile molecule,
are assembled to form the core of the micelles and, as a consequence,
the molecules are folded over on themselves. Mesoporous materials
were then synthesized from the self-assembly mechanism. The recovered
materials were characterized by SAXS measurements, nitrogen adsorption–desorption
analysis, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The results
clearly evidence that by modifying the synthesis parameters, such
as the surfactant/silica precursor molar ratio and the hydrothermal
conditions, one can control the size and the nanostructuring of the
resulting material. It was observed that, the lower the temperature
of the hydrothermal treatment, the better the mesopore ordering