Molecular approach to mesoporous metal sulfides

摘要

We have synthesized metal-sulfide/surfactant nanocomposite materials by cooperative assembly of molecular precursors in a aqueous medium. The template-mediated synthetic approach is applicable to metals sulfides that exhibit aqueous thiometallate chemistry. The products are lamellar and have a bilayers or interdigitated layers of surfactant molecules sandwiched between metal sulfide layers. The layers of anionic metal sulfide molecules are not completely condensed in the nanocomposites, which results in a negative charge on the metal sulfide layers. The materials are stable at room temperature in water, methanol, 1 M HCl, 30 wt% NH(sub 3), and 1 M NaOH. The materials do not dissolve at 80(degrees)C in water and are stable to at least 180(degrees)C in air. The nanocomposites exhibit ion exchange of smaller surfactants, alkali-metal ions, and divalent metal ions.