Effect of Surfactant Concentration on the Morphology and Texture of MCM-41 Materials

Abstract

Using a simple route for preparing uniform spherical mesoporous MCM-41 materials based on a one-step synthesis in an all-water medium, we have investigated the effects of changes of the surfactant composition. The morphology, texture and structure of five samples with different compositions reveal that both, the external organization and internal pore structure, are governed by the silicate:surfactant ratio. The intake of fluids into the pores—an important issue for the use of this material in biotechnology such as localized drug delivery, vectorization of drugs, biosensing applications, and biochemical separations—was checked and confirmed.