Unlocking the formation mechanims of SBA-15 in the presence of silanes and ammonium salts

Ordered mesoporous silica, such as SBA-15, are versatile materials for e.g. drug delivery. The materials are synthesized in a sol-gel process, where micelles evolve from spheres to cylinders, and arranges in a hexagonal structure while a silica network is arranging cooperatively around them. We will investigate how the addition of 1) NH4-salts, and 2) an organosilane (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS)) affects the material formation, both during the micelle evolution and the particles growth. We hereby propose to couple in situ time-resolved USAXS/SAXS to identify the self-assembly mechanisms taking place by probing both mesoscopic and the colloidal size region. The data will be correlated with in situ IR-spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) using the same experimental setup, where details of the formation of the silica framework are revealed. Unlocking the material formation mechanism will enable a more rational design of drug carriers and medical implants with tailored drug release.