Surfactant-templated synthesis of nanostructured xerogel adsorbent platforms

Abstract

A process for separations and recovery from mixtures via specific adsorption using high-surface area, flexible silica-based nanostructured gel adsorbents and articles of manufacture relating to same.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A xerogel material comprising
 a silane material; and   a tethering molecule attached to the silane material.   
     
     
         2 . The xerogel material of  claim 1 , wherein the tethering molecule is an enzyme. 
     
     
         3 . The xerogel material of  claim 1  further comprising a metal tethered to the silane material by the tethering molecule. 
     
     
         4 . The xerogel material of  claim 1 , wherein the tethering molecule is attached to the silane material by intermediate linking molecules. 
     
     
         5 . The xerogel material of  claim 1 , further comprising a chemical scavenger tethered to the silane material by the tethering molecule. 
     
     
         6 . The xerogel material of  claim 5 , wherein the chemical scavenger is tethered by a non-covalent tethering by the tethering molecule. 
     
     
         7 . The xerogel material of  claim 1 , wherein the silane material has a plurality of pores. 
     
     
         8 . The xerogel material of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of pores have an average diameter of at least 100 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The xerogel material of  claim 7 , wherein the tethering molecule is attached to the silane material at a pore wall of the plurality of pores. 
     
     
         10 . The xerogel material of  claim 9 , wherein the chemical scavenger is tethered to the silane material at a pore wall of the plurality of pores. 
     
     
         11 . The xerogel material of  claim 10 , wherein a target molecule is bound to the chemical scavenger and is positioned within one of the plurality of pores. 
     
     
         12 . A xerogel material comprising
 a silane material having a plurality of pores; and   a plurality of tethering molecules each attached to the silane material;   a plurality of chemical scavengers tethered to the silane material within the plurality of pores, each of the plurality of chemical scavengers tethered by one of the plurality of tethering molecules.   
     
     
         13 . The xerogel material of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of pores have an average diameter of at least 100 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The xerogel material of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of tethering molecules comprise an enzyme. 
     
     
         15 . The xerogel material of  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the plurality of tethering molecules are attached to the silane material by intermediate linking molecules. 
     
     
         16 . The xerogel material of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of chemical scavengers is tethered by a non-covalent tethering by one of the plurality of tethering molecules. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making an xerogel material comprising:
 mixing organosilane precursors, a catalyst, and a zwitterionic porogen to form a reaction mixture in a solvent;   reacting the organosilane precursors forming a silica-based material patterned on the zwitterionic porogen;   removing the zwitterionic porogen.