Mesoporous silica, process for the preparation of the same, and use thereof

Abstract

The invention provides: (1) mesoporous silica characterized by having an average pore diameter in the mesopore region of from 1.5 to 10 nm, a nitrogen adsorption specific surface area determined by the BET method of from 500 to 1400 m 2 /g and a monolayer adsorption of water at 25° C of 1.7/nm 2 or more; (2) a process for synthesizing the mesoporous silica characterized by mixing and reacting active silica with a neutral template and removing the neutral template from the thus formed complex; (3) ink absorbents characterized by containing mesoporous silica; (4) ink absorbent slurries composed of the above-described ink absorbent and a solvent; and (5) recording sheets characterized by containing the above-described ink absorbent.

1 . An ink absorbent comprising mesoporous silica synthesized by using a template.  
     
     
         2 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink absorbent according to  claim 1  and a solvent.  
     
     
         3 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         4 . An ink absorbent comprising mesoporous silica synthesized by a process comprising mixing and reacting a silica source with a template to synthesize a silica/template complex.  
     
     
         5 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 4 , wherein the template is a neutral template and the silica/template complex is a silica/neutral template complex.  
     
     
         6 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 5 , wherein the process further comprising removing the neutral template from the silica/neutral template complex.  
     
     
         7 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 4 , wherein the silica source is an active silica.  
     
     
         8 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 5 , wherein the neutral template is an amine represented by the following structural formula (1):  
         RNH 2    (1)  wherein R represents an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms.    
     
     
         9 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein the neutral template is a nonionic surfactant represented by the following structural formula (2):      R(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n OH   (2)    wherein R represents an alkyl group having 12 to 20 carbon atoms; and n is from 2 to 30.    
     
     
         10 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein the neutral template is an amine oxide represented by the following structural formula (3):      R(CH 3 ) 2 NO   (3)    wherein R represents an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms.    
     
     
         11 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 6 , wherein the neutral template-removing step is carried out by bringing the silica/neutral template complex into contact with a solvent.  
     
     
         12 . The ink absorbent according to  claim 6 , wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol.  
     
     
         13 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 4  and a solvent.  
     
     
         14 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 4 .  
     
     
         15 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 5  and a solvent.  
     
     
         16 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 5 .  
     
     
         17 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 6  and a solvent.  
     
     
         18 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 6 .  
     
     
         19 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 7  and a solvent.  
     
     
         20 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 7 .  
     
     
         21 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 8  and a solvent.  
     
     
         22 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 8 .  
     
     
         23 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 9  and a solvent.  
     
     
         24 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 9 .  
     
     
         25 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 10  and a solvent.  
     
     
         26 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 10 .  
     
     
         27 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 11  and a solvent.  
     
     
         28 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 11 .  
     
     
         29 . An ink absorbent slurry comprising the ink solvent according to  claim 12  and a solvent.  
     
     
         30 . A recording sheet containing the ink absorbent according to  claim 12.