Pressure facilitates crystallization because crystalline phases are typically denser than non-crystalline structures. The talk will illustrate how this fundamental principle can be applied to produce periodic mesoporous silicas with crystalline channel walls. Specifically, the talk will discuss the concept of nanocasting at high pressure with which we have produced SBA-16 type mesoporous coesite and large pore FDU-12 type quartz structures. Moreover, I will present a direct route from SBA-16 to mesoporous coesite materials. The potential of these materials for petroleum cracking will be discussed. Finally it will be described how mesoporous diamond materials can be made from periodic mesoporous carbon CMK-8.

Host: Tewodros Asefa, Director of RCRC http://catalysis.rutgers.edu, Contact:  tasefa@rci.rutgers.edu, Ph: 732-445-5500 x2970

Admin. Ass’t: Gwen Chupka, gwen@physics.rutgers.edu, Ph: 732-445-5500 x4004