Functionalization of silica surfaces using organo-silanes is highly sensitive to reaction conditions. Silica-coated nanoparticles were functionalized with propyl-sulfonic acid groups (PS) under different synthesis conditions including, various solvents (Ethanol, methanol, acetonitrile, and toluene), water content in the reaction media (0% to 50%), 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane concentration (MPTMS) (0.5% to 10%), and reaction time (6 to 16 h). Size of the PS-nanoparticles was determined by TEM and varied from 3.5 to 20.3 nm with sulfur load. Elemental analysis revealed sulfur contents from 0.8% to 22%. FTIR analysis showed increased C-H band intensities with increasing sulfur content of PS-nanoparticles. Although PS-nanoparticles with sulfur loads under 3% did not improve the hydrolysis of cellobiose, PS acid-functionalized nanoparticles with about 6% S achieved 96.0% cellobiose conversion. The control experiment, without catalyst, converted 32.8% of the initial cellobiose. PS-nanoparticles with (6% - 8% S) were obtained using (0.5%) silane concentration and 15 - 16 h reaction time in ethanol.
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