Self-template synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous silica and its application in efficient removal of various organic polluted species from water

To synthesize the mesoporous materials without templates is a green but challenging task. In this study, in the absence of any additional template, a self-template synthesis method was developed with the specific silane containing 3-dimethylaminopropyl (DMAP) both as the silicon source and self-template species. The obtained material exhibits a high specific surface area of 445 m 2 g −1 and an average pore size of 5.1 nm. The group of DMAP does not need to be removed, which can serve as the highly effective adsorption site for the removal of high-concentration and large-sized organic pollutants. The highest adsorption capacity (3 200 mg g −1 ) could be obtained for various organic pollutant species including traditional organic dyes and recently emerging perfluoroalkyl substances. Rich surface groups, abundant mesopores, and stronger surface lipophilicity synergistically contributed to this excellent adsorption performance.