Schiff-base-functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15: Covalently bonded assembly of blue nanophosphors

Two kinds of Schiff-base-functionalized organic–inorganic mesoporous luminescent hybrid materials have been obtained by co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and the organosilane in the presence of Pluronic P123 surfactant as a template. N,N′-Bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (BSPA) and N,N′,N″-tris(salicylidene)-(2-aminoethyl) amine (TSAEA), possessing two different representative structures, were firstly prepared and then functionalized with trialkoxylsilyl groups through the hydrogen transfer reactions between the active hydroxyl groups of the Schiff-base compounds and the internal ester group of isocyanate in 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propyl isocyanate (TESPIC). Schiff-base grafted to the coupling agent 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propyl isocyanate (TESPIC) was used as the precursor for the preparation of mesoporous materials. The luminescence properties of these resulting materials were characterized in detail, and the results reveal that they all have high surface area, uniformity in the mesostructure. The resulting materials (BSPA–SBA-15 and TSAEA–SBA-15) exhibit regular uniform microstructures and no phase separation happened because the organic and the inorganic compounds were covalently linked through Si–O bonds via a self-assembly process. Furthermore, these two materials have the similar luminescence range in the blue range.

Two kinds of Schiff-base (N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (BSPA) and N,N′,N″-tris(salicylidene)-(2-aminoethyl) amine (TSAEA)) functionalized organic–inorganic mesoporous luminescent hybrid material.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide