A novel and simple method for the electrochemical modification of ordered mesoporous silica is described. A well-organized thin film of amine-functionalized ordered mesoporous silica has been deposited electrochemically on the electrode surface. The resulting amine-functionalized electrodes were then subjected to post-functionalization with catechol moieties through electrochemical generation o...

1,8-dioxo-decahydroacridines have been synthesized by the three-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, aromatic amines (or ammonium acetate), and dimedone in the presence of sulfonic acid functionalized nanoporous silica (sba-pr-so3h) under solvent-free conditions. excellent yields, short reaction times, mild reaction conditions, and easy work-up procedures are advantages of this green method.

We report on the first silica encapsulation of a metazoan (Daphnia magna), with a high initial viability (96% of the population remained active 48 h after encapsulation). Moreover, the co-encapsulation of this crustacean and microalgae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) was achieved, creating inside a silica monolith, the smallest microcosm developed to present. This artificial ecosystem in a gr...

Sulfonic acid functionalized nanoporous silica (SBA-Pr-SO3H) with a pore size of 6 nm catalyzed three component coupling of aromatic aldehydes, urea and ethyl acetoacetate to afford the corresponding dihydropyrimidinones under solvent free condition. This new protocol for Biginelli reaction has important advantages such as green synthesis, short reaction time, easy isolation and high yields of ...

The integration of ion-channel transport functions with responses derived from nanostructured and nanoporous silica mesophase materials is demonstrated. Patterned thin-film mesophases consisting of alternating hydrophilic nanoporous regions and hydrophobic nanostructured regions allow for spatially localized proton transport via selective dimerization of gramicidin in lipid bilayers formed on t...

We report a robust and versatile membrane protein based system for selective uptake and release of ions from nanoporous particles sealed with ion-tight lipid bilayers of various compositions that is driven by the addition of ATP or a chemical potential gradient. We have successfully incorporated both a passive ion channel-type peptide (gramicidin A) and a more complex primary sodium ion transpo...

We have used molecular dynamics simulations based on a three-body potential with charge transfer to generate nanoporous silica aerogels. Care was taken to reproduce the sol-gel condensation reaction that forms the gel backbone as realistically as possible and to thereby produce credible gel structures. The self-similarity of aerogel structures was investigated by evaluating their fractal dimens...