Feasibility Study of Mesoporous Silica MCM-41 Functionalization by Electron-Beam Irradiation

ABSTRACT Mobil Composition of Matter No. 41 (MCM-41) is a member of the mesoporous silica family, which is used as an inhomogeneous catalyst in many chemical processes because of its large surface and also its uniform channels. MCM-41 is used to transport material in reactions and targeted drug-delivery systems, especially blood-disorders medication. The purpose of this study was to functionalize MCM-41 by electron beam irradiation to achieve optimal irradiation conditions to be used as the primary catalyst for the intelligent transfer of new drugs in hematology. Functionalized MCM-41 with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), 3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 2-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 4-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 2,4-dinitrobenzyl alcohol, and 3-chlorobenzyl alcohol are suitable compounds for medical and drug delivery purposes in different parts of the body. To this end, MCM-41 was first synthesized by the sol-gel method, and then using Fourier-transform spectroscopy, the functionalization of its compounds, the effects of electron dose on it, and the effect of different reactants on its production were examined. To functionalize MCM-41, the applied electron irradiation dose and the type of alcohol are very important components that ultimately the optimal dose and the appropriate process for alcohol reaction will be suggested to be functionalized. In optimum irradiation conditions, 3-APTS, 3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 2-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 4-nitrobenzyl alcohol, and 2,4-dinitrobenzyl alcohol were successfully grafted onto MCM-41, which can be used as controlled drug delivery systems. The use of the electron irradiation method for the functionalization of mesoporous silica compounds has many advantages over similar chemical methods, namely no use of chemicals, high-reaction speed, higher efficiency, and lower-chemical contamination.