Functionalized SBA-15 with mesoscopic pore channels was synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) via hydrothermal process. Small-angle X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to monitor the effect of surface functionalization on the structural and textural features of the SBA-15. The results suggested that the structural ordering of functionalized SBA-15, as well as pore diameters, pore volumes and surface areas, were decreased with increasing the APTES molar ratio. Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) was used as a model enzyme for studying the effect of amino-functionalized on loading amount and enzymatic activity. The effects of pH and temperature on catalytic hydrolysis of tributyrin by immobilized CRL were investigated. The results showed that immobilized CRL had a well adaptability in a wide pH and temperature region, and CRL immobilized on functionalized SBA-15 exhibited much higher enzymatic activity than free CRL, especially, 5 mol% APTES functionalized SBA-15 immobilized CRL displayed the highest activity.

A simple and clean route to synthesize nano-scale mesoporous silver-silica composite aerogels was described here. The composite aerogels were obtained by adding a silver colloid to an about-to-gel silica sol prepared and then dried in supercritical anhydrous ethyl alcohol. The silver colloid and composite aerogels with silver content of 0wt%, 0.5wt%, 1wt% and 3.5wt% were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and N2 Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The results show that silver nanoparticles with size about 40nm are successfully impregnated into the spongy porous structure of silica. The surface area decreases from 845 to 443m2/g with the increase of silver content. And the nanoscopic surface and bulk properties of each component are retained in the solid composite.