Synthesis of Cubic Hybrid Organic−Inorganic Mesostructures with Dodecahedral Morphology from a Binary Surfactant Mixture

Synthesis of a cubic ethane−silica hybrid organic−inorganic mesoporous material using a binary surfactant mixture is reported. The system consists of ethane-bridged organosilica (BTME), polyoxyethylene alkyl ether [C 12 (EO) 4; Brij 30], and the octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C 18 TMACl) surfactants in a basic medium. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis along with transmission electron microscope observation revealed a cubic symmetry of the mesophase and is consistent with the Pm 3̄ n space group. Scanning electron microscope micrographs of material exhibit a well-defined crystal-like dodecahedral morphology with a uniform particle size of 5 μm. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed that an ethane fragment is covalently linked to silica in surfactant-free material. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm shows a type-IV isotherm with a pore diameter of 28 Å and a Brunauer−Emmett−Teller surface area of 744 m 2 g - 1 . The presented BTME−alkyltrimethylammonium−C 12 (EO) 4 −NaOH−H 2 O system greatly facilitates the synthesis of cubic ( Pm 3̄ n ) hybrid mesopahses.