2D double-quantum H-1-H-1 NMR unambiguously shows that the isolated'' Si-OH surface silanols of dehydroxylated SBA-15 are converted upon treatment with ammonia into single silylamine surface site Si-NH2. The
gem'' di-silanols (= Si(OH)(2)) remain intact. Treatment using HMDS produces (= Si(OSiMe3)(2)) but leaves Si-NH2 untouched. The resulting surface is hydrophobic and stable.
Jean-François Molinari, Enrico Milanese, Ramin Aghababaei, Tobias Brink
Toralf Scharf, Wilfried Noell, Jeremy Béguelin