The attractive properties of zeolites, which make them suitable for numerous applications for the energy and chemical industries and for life sciences, are derived from their crystalline framework structures. Herein, we describe the rational synthesis of a microporous material, HUS-10, utilizing a layered silicate precursor, HUS-2, as a structural building unit. For the ordered micropores to be formed, interlayer pillars that supported the original silicate layer of HUS-2 were immobilized through the interlayer silylation of silanol groups with trichloromethylsilane and a subsequent dehydration-condensation reaction of the hydroxyl groups on the preintroduced tetrahedral units. An actual molecular sieving ability, enabling the adsorption of molecules smaller than ethane, was confirmed in the ordered micropores of HUS-10. The hydrophilic adsorption could also be controlled by changing the number of methyl and hydroxyl groups in the immobilized interlayer pillars. In addition, when the adsorption behaviors of CO2, CH4, and N2 on HUS-10 were compared to those on siliceous MFI and CDO zeolites with approximately the same pore diameter, the CO2 adsorption capacity of HUS-10 was comparable. Conversely, because of the adsorption inhibition of CH4 and N2, HUS-10 exhibited larger CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 adsorption ratios relative to those of MFI and CDO zeolites. These results reveal that the unique microporous framework structure presented by the rational structural design using the layered silicate precursor HUS-2 has the potential to separate CO2 from gas mixtures.
Keywords: CO2 adsorption; interlayer silylation; layered silicate; molecular sieve; zeolite.