title: Aromatic-hydroxyl interaction of an alpha-aryl ether lignin model-compound on SBA-15, present at pyrolysis temperatures.
abstract: An aromatic alpha-aryl ether compound (a benzyl phenyl ether analogue) was covalently grafted to mesoporous silica SBA-15, to create BPEa-SBA-15. The BPEa-SBA-15 was subjected to successive heating cycles up to 600 °C, with in situ monitoring by DRIFTS. It was found that the toluene moiety coordinates to SBA-15 surface silanol hydroxyl groups via an aromatic-hydroxyl interaction. This interaction is evidenced by a red-shift of the aromatic C-H stretches, as well as a red-shift and broadening of the surface hydroxyl O-H stretches, which are features characteristic of a hydrogen bond. These features remain present during heating until ∼400 °C whereupon the ether linkage of BPEa-SBA-15 is cleaved, accompanied by loss of the toluene moiety.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA. savaraa@ornl.gov.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kandziolka
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kidder
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savara