Benzene-Silica Material

Introduction

Scientists from Tohoku University, Sendai and Toyota Central R&D lab, Nagakute have created a hybrid material of benzene and silica that has crystalline pore walls, a property that has long been sought and that could open new doors for the development of various products. The benzene-silica material features uniform six-sided pores 3.8 nanometres across, similar in shape to that of a honeycomb. This new feature could allow the material to be used in a variety of fields, including the development of pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and fuel batteries. So far, scientists had not been unable to produce the material in a uniform configuration.

To create this material, the researchers combined benzene, commonly used as a solvent with silica, which is used as a drying agent in confectionary and another active material. They then filtered the substance that precipitated from the solution to isolate the benzene-silicon material. The end result was a material in which the benzene is uniformly spread along the walls of silicon. The process is simple and also economical, as it does not require any specialized equipment.

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(Source: Science & Technology in Japan).
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