Adsorption of water pollutant using functionalized mesoporous silica aerogels: synthesis and adsorption properties

Self-assembled mesoporous silica aerogels (SAMMSA) with high adsorption properties were synthesized by simultaneously extraction/derivetization method with cheap waterglass precursor as a silica source and the ambient pressure drying (APD) method. Functionalization of silica aerogels were done using with TMCS/IPA/n-Hexane solution. Analysis show 143° contact angle, 579 m2/g specific surface area, 0.15 g/cm3 density and up to 380°C thermal stability. Large contact angle (143°) indicates high density of self assembeled[Formula] groups on aerogel surface. Because of high surface area, the synthesized aerogel has great capacity for adsorption of organic water pollutants from water. Furthermore, because of monolithic structure they can easily used for adsorption purposes without problems of spreading in environment. The aerogels showed a very high uptake capacity and high rate of uptake. With our new synthesis method the time and cost of synthesis are minimized and products are very promising for commercialization. Furthermore, relatively strong adsorption bonds between pollutants and aerogel surface cause to better adsorption properties of SAMMSA with respect to conventional ones such as activated carbon.