Temperature difference effect induced self-assembly method for Ag/SBA-15 nanostructures and their catalytic properties for epoxidation of styrene

• A novel temperature difference effect induced self-assembly method for Ag/SBA-15.
• The precursor was pushed into the channels by temperature difference effect.
• Ag nanoparticles, nanorods and nanowires/SBA-15 are obtained.
• The weight ratio of AgNO3/SBA-15 influences the morphology of Ag/SBA-15.

In this paper the first dynamics-controlled self-assembly method for Ag nanostructures in mesoporous channels is developed, and Ag/SBA-15 nanostructures are synthesized by a temperature difference effect induced self-assembly method with AgNO3 as Ag precursor and SBA-15 as support. Different morphologies of Ag nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanowires can be controlled by changing the weight ratio of AgNO3/SBA-15. In the synthesis procedure, the temperature difference effect induces air volume shrinkage in the channel, and the drop in pressure pushes the molten AgNO3 assembled into the channels step by step. Finally, Ag/SBA-15 nanostructures are obtained by calcination at 350 °C for 2 h. Furthermore, the catalytic activities of Ag/SBA-15 nanostructures toward the epoxidation of styrene are investigated, and Ag nanoparticles/SBA-15-130 shows 77.7% of conversion and 73.7% selectivity for the epoxidation of styrene.

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